The lawyer warned about criminal liability for threats in messengers

Alexey Gridin, a lawyer and deputy managing partner of the Moscow Law Law Firm, said on Wednesday, July 29, that threats in messengers could lead to liability, and excuses that it was just a chat are no longer accepted.

In conversation with Lenta.Ru the specialist warned about cases of criminal liability for such statements on the Web.

The lawyer noted that threatening phrases in chat rooms are no longer perceived as an ordinary emotional skirmish. Russian courts are increasingly recognizing screenshots of conversations, voice and video messages in messengers as full-fledged evidence in criminal cases. They can be notarized, requested from the service, and compared with location data and examination results.

According to the expert, a typical example is Article 119 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the threat of murder or causing serious harm to health. Responsibility can occur if the threat is addressed to a specific person and they have real reasons to fear it. At the same time, the investigation evaluates not only the content of the correspondence, but also related actions — for example, surveillance, demonstration of weapons or publication of the address.

Another risk is related to extortion. Demands to transfer money under threat of publishing intimate photos, property damage, or physical violence may fall under Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Gridin also recalled the responsibility for defamation. 128.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, regardless of whether they were expressed orally, in writing, or electronically.

The lawyer emphasized that the boundary between an ordinary quarrel and a criminal case runs where a specific threat appears, personal data is used, or demands are made under pressure. Therefore, he advised treating chat messages as if they would later be evaluated by an investigator, prosecutor, or judge.

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State Duma Deputy Speaker Boris Chernyshov warned on July 16 that publishing other people's photos and unfounded accusations on the Internet could lead to legal proceedings. Publishing photos of neighbors, cars with state registration plates, or found documents in house chats may violate the right to an image and lead to the dissemination of personal data, RT writes.

In April, expert Vladimir Nikishin also stated that it is illegal to publish personal data of neighbors in a communal chat without their consent and is fraught with large fines, IA Regnum clarifies.

At the same time, lawyer Yana Bondarenko said that the fine for insulting is from 5 to 10 thousand rubles. Fines are levied in favor of the state, the NSN notes.

Lawyer Alexander Khaminsky had previously warned that a house chat was considered a public space. All messages in it can be used in court as evidence, notes 360.ru .