How is slander condemned in Germany and Austria?

The International Media Institute (International Press Institute) has on its official website European countries' legislation condemning defamation from fine to prison.

Germany and Austria's Criminal Procedure Code envision fine and prison sentences for libel.

According to Article 186 of the German Penal Procedure Code, slander is defined as” forward or distribution of a fact related to another person who could damage his reputation or negatively influence public opinion of him”.

It is sentenced to fine or imprisonment for up to a year. A prison sentence of up to two years could be decided whether the action is <x0 publicly defined or through the distribution of” materials.

Meanwhile, according to Article 187 of this code, slander consists of a slanderous statement, which the speaker knows is false and used to damage a person's reputation or endanger his credibility”. Punishment is fine or imprisonment for up to two years. The sentence of up to five years could be decided whether the action has been done publicly or through the media.

Meanwhile, the Austrian Code of Criminal Procedure in Article 297 stipulates that slander is to accuse someone of a bad character or inclination, dishonest behavior, or offensive behavior toward good morals, which can denigrate that person or damage him in public view.

The sentence includes six months of imprisonment or equivalent fines with 360 working days. For libel committed via the media, television “or by some other means through which the content of slander has become accessible to a broader public”, possible punishment is up to a year in prison or equivalent to 760 working days.

For slander, the Austrian code says it is” to accuse another person incorrectly and knowingly of a criminal offence for failing to comply with an official duty, in a way that puts the person at risk for prosecution. The sentence is up to a year in prison or equivalent fine to 720 working days.

However, if the prosecution concerns a criminal offence that is sentenced to prison for over a year, the sentence includes six months to five years in prison.