Threats to share private photographs and messages: routes to legal protection

Threatening to share private photographs or correspondence can seriously harm a person’s wellbeing, dignity and privacy. The person making the threats may be an acquaintance, a former partner or someone met online. Anyone targeted has the right to seek assistance and legal protection. Previously sharing a photograph or engaging in private conversation does not justify another person’s threats.

Consent to send a photograph to a particular person is not consent to its further distribution. Statements such as “pay me or I will show everyone” or “do what I say or I will publish your messages” should not be dismissed as an ordinary disagreement. Their legal assessment depends on the threats, demands and surrounding circumstances.

Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan establishes liability for extortion, including demands for money, property or financial benefits backed by threats to disclose confidential information or spread discrediting fabrications. Demanding payment in exchange for not publishing private photographs or correspondence may therefore constitute this offence where the required elements are established.

Article 141³ separately establishes liability for distributing photographs or videos showing a person’s naked body or genitals without their consent, or threatening to distribute such information. This provision does not automatically apply to every ordinary photograph or message. Other provisions protecting privacy, personal data and confidential communications may be relevant in other circumstances. The applicable legal classification depends on the facts and evidence.

If threats are received, preserve the messages, username, profile address, telephone number, payment demands and relevant dates and times. Capture the threatening text, but do not circulate intimate material. Once evidence has been preserved, use the platform’s reporting tools and block the sender. Paying money or providing further photographs does not guarantee that the threats will stop.

There is no need to wait for the material to be published before reporting the matter to the internal affairs authorities. A report should describe the threats, demands and available evidence. If material has already been posted, record its location and request removal through the platform. If there is an immediate physical danger, move to a safe place and contact law enforcement promptly.

Changing passwords, ending unfamiliar sessions and enabling two-step verification are also important. Support can be sought from a trusted person, a lawyer or the institute’s psychologist. The institute community should respect the affected person’s confidentiality and help them obtain assistance without blaming them or spreading details of the incident.