Act C of 2012 on the Criminal Code (as in force on 1 April 2022) This document has been produced for informational purposes only. Violation of personal secrets Section 223 (1) A person who discloses, without a reasonable cause, a personal secret he learned due to his profession or public mandate is guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be punished by confinement. (2) The punishment shall be imprisonment for up to one year if the criminal offence causes significant harm to interests. Violation of the confidentiality of correspondence Section 224 (1) A person who a) destroys a sealed consignment containing the communication of another person, opens or acquires such a consignment for the purpose of gaining knowledge of its content or hands over such a consignment to an unauthorised person for such a purpose b) intercepts communications sent to another person through an electronic communications network, including an information system, is guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be punished by confinement, unless a criminal offence of greater gravity is established. (2) The punishment shall be imprisonment for up to one year if the criminal offence specified in paragraph (1) is committed by using a profession or public mandate. (3) The punishment shall be a) imprisonment for up to two years if the criminal offence specified in paragraph (1) b) imprisonment for up to three years for committing a felony if the criminal offence specified in paragraph (2) causes significant harm to interests. Humiliation of a vulnerable person Section 225 (1) A person who induces another person, by exploiting his vulnerable situation, to behave in a manner that humiliates him is guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be punished by imprisonment for up to one year, unless a criminal offence of greater gravity is established. (2) The punishment shall be imprisonment for up to two years if the perpetrator a) provides or promises any consideration as part of the inducement specified in paragraph (1), b) makes a recording of the person humiliating himself or makes such a recording accessible to a large audience. (3) The punishment shall be imprisonment for up to three years for committing a felony if the criminal offence is committed regularly for generating income. Defamation Section 226 (1) A person who, in front of another person, states, disseminates or uses an expression in direct reference to a fact that is capable of harming one’s reputation is guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be punished by imprisonment for up to one year. (2) The punishment shall be imprisonment for up to two years if defamation is committed a) for a base reason or purpose, b) in front of a large audience, or c) by causing significant harm to interests. 72 Contact: eu-forditas@im.gov.hu