Insult (legal) facts for kids

The legal status of insult

Insult is when someone says or does something disrespectful to another person. It's meant to hurt their feelings or damage their good name. In some countries, insulting someone can even be a crime.

It's important to know the difference between an insult and defamation. An insult is usually about saying something mean that judges a person's worth. Defamation, on the other hand, is about saying something untrue that harms someone's reputation by making up or spreading false facts about them.

Laws about insult are mostly found in countries that use a legal system called "civil law." In countries with "common law" (like the United Kingdom and many former British colonies), similar actions might be called "public disorder" instead. The main difference is that in civil law, the insult targets a specific person and harms their honor. In common law, the action targets the general public and harms public order.

What an Insult Harms
How Insults are Made
When an Insult Might be Allowed
Taking Action Against Insults
When Punishment Might be Waived
Laws Around the World
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See also

What an Insult Harms

When someone insults another person, it often harms their honor or dignity. Think of it as hurting their good name or how they are seen by others. Sometimes, it can also affect a person's reputation or how much people respect them.

How Insults are Made

An insult can be expressed in many ways. It could be:

Something spoken aloud.
Something written down.
A gesture (like a rude hand sign).
A picture or video.
Even a non-violent physical action that is meant to be offensive.

For an action to be considered an insult in a legal sense, the person doing it usually needs to have meant to insult the other person. This is sometimes called "contemptuous intent." Also, the insult has to be communicated to the person being insulted or to someone else.

When an Insult Might be Allowed

Sometimes, certain actions that might seem like insults are allowed. This often happens when people are doing their official jobs, like making statements in a court trial. It also relates to freedom of speech, which is a very important right. For example, people are usually allowed to criticize things in politics, science, arts, or literature.

In very rare cases, defending your own honor might be a reason for an insult, but insulting someone back is usually not seen as self-defense. In countries where the government has very strict control, criticizing leaders or politics through insult is usually not allowed.

Taking Action Against Insults

If someone is insulted, they usually have to make an official complaint for the authorities to take action.

When Punishment Might be Waived

If two people insult each other, a judge might decide to let one or both of them off without punishment. However, this is not the case in all countries, like China, where such exceptions are not made.

Laws Around the World

Laws about insult can be different in various countries. Here are a few examples of how some countries handle insults:

Africa

Algeria: Insult can lead to prison time or a fine.
Angola: Insult can lead to prison time or a fine.
Benin: Public insult can result in a large fine.
Burkina Faso: Public insult can mean prison time and a fine.
Burundi: Public insult can lead to prison, a fine, or both.
Cameroon: Public insult can mean prison, a fine, or both.
Chad: Public insult (not through the press) can lead to prison or a fine.
Egypt: Public insult can result in a fine. If published, the fine is higher.
Eritrea: Insult can mean prison or a fine. If it's very offensive, the punishment is more severe.
Gabon: Public insult can lead to prison, a fine, or both.
Guinea: Public insult can mean prison, a fine, or both.
Libya: Insult can lead to prison or a fine.
Mauritius: Insult can result in a fine. Public or written insults have higher fines or prison time.
Morocco: Public insult can result in a fine.
Mozambique: Insult can mean a fine. Public insults or those by assault have higher penalties, including prison.
Rwanda: Public insult can lead to prison, a fine, or public work.
Togo: Public insult can result in a fine.

Asia

Azerbaijan: Public insult can mean prison, a fine, or public work. If done online with a fake name, the penalties are higher.
Cambodia: Public insult can result in a fine. Insulting officials or Buddhist monks can lead to short prison terms and fines. Insulting the King (lèse-majesté) has much harsher penalties, including long prison terms and large fines.
China: Serious public insult can lead to prison, detention, or public surveillance. In Macau, insult can mean prison or a fine.
Iran: Satire (making fun of something) can lead to prison time.
Japan: Public insult can mean prison or a fine.
Kazakhstan: Insult can result in a fine. If public or through media, the fine is higher.
Laos: Serious insult can mean prison, income subtraction, and a fine.
Nepal: Scolding someone can lead to prison, a fine, or both.
Oman: Insult can mean prison or a fine. If public, the penalties are higher.
Qatar: Insult can mean prison or a fine. If public, the penalties are higher.
South Korea: Public insult can lead to prison or a fine.
Taiwan: Public insult can mean prison or a fine. If by assault, the penalties are higher.
Turkey: Insult can lead to prison or a fine. If public, the penalty is increased.
Uzbekistan: A second insult after a warning can lead to a fine, income subtraction, or public work. If printed, the penalties are higher.
Vietnam: Serious insult can mean a fine or community service. If against certain people (like teachers) or done online, it can lead to prison.

Europe

Albania: Insult can result in a fine. If public, the fine is higher.
Andorra: Serious or public insult can lead to prison time.
Austria: Public insult or derision in front of many people can mean prison or a fine.
Belarus: Public insult or insult online can lead to a fine or restriction of freedom.
Belgium: Public insult or insult in front of others can mean prison or a fine.
Bulgaria: Insult can result in a fine. If public or through print, the fine is higher.
Croatia: Insult can result in a fine. If through media or public, the fine is higher.
Denmark: Dishonoring someone can mean prison or a fine. Similar laws exist in the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
France: Public insult can result in a large fine. This also applies in French overseas territories.
Finland: Disparagement can result in a fine. If it causes great suffering, it can mean prison or a fine.
Germany: Insult can mean prison or a fine. If public or by assault, the penalties are higher.
Greece: Insult can mean prison or a fine. If public, the penalties are higher.
Hungary: Insult related to someone's job or in front of a large audience can mean prison.
Iceland: Dishonoring someone can mean prison or a fine. Serious insult against family members has higher penalties.
Liechtenstein: Insult or derision in front of others can mean prison or a fine. If public, the penalties are higher.
Luxembourg: Public insult or insult before many people can mean prison, a fine, or both. If against vulnerable people or subordinates, the penalties are higher.
Monaco: Public insult can mean prison, a fine, or both. If with a false name, the penalties are higher.
Netherlands: Insult can mean prison or a fine. Similar laws exist in Sint Maarten and Aruba.
Poland: Insult can mean a fine or restriction of freedom. If through mass media, it can mean prison, a fine, or restriction of freedom.
Portugal: Insult can mean prison or a fine.
San Marino: Insult in front of many people can result in a fine.
Serbia: Insult can result in a fine. If through media or public, the fine is higher.
Slovenia: Insult (unless it's fair criticism or official duty) can mean prison or a fine. If through media, the penalties are higher.
Spain: Serious insult can result in a fine. If public, the fine is higher.
Sweden: Insult can result in a fine. If serious, it can mean prison or a fine.
Switzerland: Insult can result in a fine.

North America and the Caribbean

Costa Rica: Insult can result in a fine. If public, the fine is higher.
Cuba: Insult can mean prison or a fine.
Dominican Republic: Public insult can mean prison and a fine.
El Salvador: Insult can result in a fine. If public, the fine is higher.
Guatemala: Insult can mean prison. If publicly spread and causes disliking, it can mean longer prison time.
Honduras: Serious insult can result in a fine. If public, the fine is higher.
Mexico: In Yucatán and Nuevo León, insult can mean prison or a fine.
Panama: Insult can result in a fine. If through a communication network, it can mean prison or a fine.

South America

Argentina: Insult can result in a fine.
Bolivia: Insult through mass media can result in a fine.
Brazil: Insult can mean prison or a fine. If by assault or very demeaning, the penalties are higher.
Chile: Insult can mean prison or a fine. Written or public insults have higher penalties.
Colombia: Insult by assault can mean prison and a fine. If in front of others or publicly spread, the penalties are higher.
Paraguay: Insult can result in a fine. If in front of others, the fine is higher.
Peru: Insult can result in a fine or public work.
Suriname: Insult can mean prison, a fine, or both.
Uruguay: Insult can result in a fine. If public, the fine is higher.
Venezuela: Insult in front of many people can mean prison and a fine. If written or public, the penalties are higher. If in a public document or media, the penalties are even higher.

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The legal status of insult