OLaNO MP Juraj Krupa and For the People lawmaker Jana Žitňanská have presented a bill to Parliament aimed at introducing the classification of a new crime called dangerous harassment, explaining that cyberbullying is an ever more frequently occurring phenomenon in Slovakia, and that there's currently no clear legislation to keep cyberbullies in check. Krupa pointed to the fact that 52 percent of young Slovaks have experienced it, and noted that cyberbullying leads to serious consequences such as depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies.
According to the proposal, anyone who intentionally disparages, threatens or harasses another person long term via online communication services or networks can be imprisoned for up to three years. The same punishment applies to cases in which the perpetrator unlawfully publishes video, audio or video-audio footage that could hurt someone else's reputation and that was obtained without the victim's consent. "The threat of imprisonment is mostly meant to deter them. Our aim isn't to have people locked up, but to discourage them from engaging in such activities in the future," explained Krupa.
