Germany did not legalise possession of child sexual abuse material in the 2024 change shown in this post. The screenshot’s claim of “decriminalisation” confuses a reduction in minimum sentences and a change in offence classification with the removal of a criminal prohibition.
What changed in 2024?
The Bundestag approved changes to section 184b of the Criminal Code on 16 May 2024. The enacted amendment took effect on 28 June. It reduced the minimum prison term for the relevant distribution offences to six months and for acquisition and possession to three months. The Bundestag’s explanation states that the maximum penalties were not reduced.
The current section 184b continues to criminalise the conduct. Its ordinary penalty range for acquiring or possessing the specified material is three months to five years in prison. Distribution offences covered by subsection 1 generally carry six months to ten years, with additional provisions for particular circumstances.
Why lawmakers changed the minimums
According to the parliamentary record, the previous one-year minimum created problems in cases at the lower end of culpability. Examples included adults who forwarded material while trying to alert others to its circulation. Reclassification restored procedural options for proportionate handling of individual cases; it did not declare abusive material lawful.
That rationale can be debated. People may disagree over whether the revised framework adequately protects children or gives prosecutors appropriate discretion. But describing the law accurately is essential before judging it. A criminal offence with a lower minimum sentence remains a criminal offence.
Keep the focus on child protection
The accompanying screenshot also makes a claim about an activist group’s reaction. This post does not establish that allegation, and a third party’s response would not determine what the statute means. The legal text and legislative record are the stronger sources.
If material appears to depict child sexual abuse, do not circulate it to illustrate a debate or warn a group chat. Use the relevant platform’s reporting process and seek guidance from the appropriate police or child-protection authority. The historical image is retained here to explain the misleading claim, not to endorse it.
References
- German Bundestag: decision and rationale for the 2024 amendment
- German Bundestag: enactment and commencement record
- German Criminal Code: current section 184b
