Environmental campaigners Dave Morris (left) and Helen Steel celebrate their partial victory in their legal battle with burger chain McDonald's in London, in March 31, 1999 file photo.

The decision marked a victory for campaigners Helen Steel and Dave Morris, who were found guilty in the "McLibel" trial, the longest in English legal history.

The Strasbourg-based court ruled that Britain had violated Articles 6.1 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantee the right to a fair hearing and the right to freedom of Steel and Morris who distributed leaflets in London in 1989 and 1990 accusing the fast-food chain of destroying vast swaths of rain forest in Central America to create grazing pastures for cattle, slaughtering animals, selling unhealthy food and exploiting children with its advertising.

The "McLibel" trial ran for 313 days before High Court Judge Rodger Bell ruled in June 1997 that the leaflet was largely untrue.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 26, 2005
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