Publication at Faculty of Law |
2020
Abstract
The present criminal landscape has changed. This also concerns the forms of the criminal offence of spreading of alarming news under Section 357 of the Czech Criminal Code.
False reports regarding an alleged bomb which is going to explode in school premises have disappeared as the schools are closed. Meanwhile, there have been false reports regarding the spreading of coronavirus in the society.
The article discusses the elements of this criminal offence. The article also points out that spreading of false news causing concerns among the population as well as criminal sanctions for such acts are historical phenomena.
Not every case of spreading of news, which are not true, constitutes a criminal offence.