Sister of Spanish princess pursues court battle against the media

Madrid  - Telma Ortiz, 34, sister of Spain's Crown Princess Letizia, will pursue her legal battle against the media which she accuses of "intolerable harassment," press reports said Tuesday.

Ortiz' lawyer said she will appeal against a court decision announced last week to reject her request for a blanket prohibition on 57 media outlets from publishing pictures or footage of her, her partner or baby.

The court in the central city of Toledo said Ortiz could not enjoy the same privacy as an ordinary citizen, because she was a public personality who attended official acts.

Sister to former news anchor Letizia Ortiz, who married Crown Prince Felipe in 2004, Ortiz says she has been harassed by the media since she returned from the Philippines, where she worked for an aid organization, to have a baby in Spain four months ago.

Media representatives have accused Ortiz of trying to promote press censorship through her unprecedented demand for a blanket ban on reports about her. Usually, Spanish celebrities have only gone into court over specific reports.

The court ordered Ortiz to pay 50,000 euros (78,000 dollars) in judicial costs.

Telma is the middle sister of three. The youngest, Erika, died from an overdose of pills in 2007. (dpa)

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