The members of the parliamentary commission on justice worked on the proposition submitted by MP Gilles Roth on Wednesday morning. The bill concerns the practice called upskirting, which describes the sexually intrusive act of taking a photograph or filming up somebody's skirt without their permission. Broadly, the draft bill will also target voyeurism in general, including filming in changing rooms.
These acts do not currently fall under the realms of sexual aggression or invasion of privacy, which will change in the future with a specific draft bill creating a new criminal offence.
Minister of Justice Sam Tanson welcomed the proposition by the opposition politician, highlighted that it would allow the government to regulate a gap in legislation.
The minister believes that voyeurism should be integrated into the Criminal Code. Her viewpoint differs from that of the public prosecutor's office and the public prosecutors of Luxembourg City and Diekirch, who disagreed with the notion in a report from May 2019.
In the past, reports concerning voyeurism with mobile phones or cameras were unable to be treated in court as there had not been a corresponding criminal offence. MPs will continue to work on Roth's draft bill, focusing specifically on sanctions.
The Luxembourgish lawmakers will orientate themselves on French legislation, which outlines fines of up to €15,000 and prison sentences between eight days and a year.
The legislative proposition was submitted by the CSV MP exactly a year ago.
