Germany introduces bill to criminalize ‘upskirting’ photos

BERLIN – Germany’s Cabinet has approved legislation that will criminalize “upskirting” photos and taking unauthorized pictures of people killed in accidents.

The bill introduced Wednesday, which requires parliamentary approval, will make it a criminal rather than civil offence to take and distribute such pictures.

The German move follows the approval this year of legislation making it illegal in England and Wales to take “upskirting” photos.

It also will ban the taking or distribution of unauthorized pictures “that display a dead person in a grossly offensive way,” punishing them with up to two years in prison.

Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht says that “we must spare relatives the additional suffering of pictures of their deceased parents or children being spread around.”