Germany’s parliament has voted to remove the possession of child sexual abuse materials as a criminal offence.
The country’s Criminal Code will no longer include the section pertaining to child pornography, Bundestag (parliament) voted Thursday.
Once the bill goes into effect, minimum sentencing for holding child abuse materials will be reduced and the criminal charge will become a misdemeanor, Reduxxed reported.
“Possession and acquisition should be punishable with a minimum penalty of three months’ imprisonment, and distribution with a minimum penalty of six months’ imprisonment, and distribution with a minimum penalty of six months’ imprisonment,” the bill states.
“The offences regulated in Section 184b of the Criminal Code are therefore classified as misdemeanors and not as crimes.”