Defamation and Online Harassment Laws in Denmark

Denmark has no separate defamation act. The core rules sit in Chapter 27 of the Criminal Code (sections 267 to 275), which makes it an offense to make or spread a statement, message or act that is likely to damage someone's honor. Compensation for non-financial harm (tort) is claimed under section 26 of the Liability for Damages Act, which covers anyone responsible for an unlawful violation of another person's freedom, peace, honor or person. For periodicals, licensed broadcasters and news-type online media that have registered with the Press Council, the Media Liability Act adds rules on editorial responsibility, a right of reply and the Press Council.

Sources1Danish Criminal Code (Straffeloven), LBK nr 1294 of 7 November 2025, sections 267-275 (Danish)2Liability for Damages Act (Erstatningsansvarsloven), LBK nr 1080 of 30 August 2025, section 26 (Danish)3Media Liability Act (Medieansvarsloven), LBK nr 914 of 11 August 2014, section 1 (Danish)

Defamation is a crime under section 267 of the Criminal Code, with a fine or up to one year in prison. Under section 268 the maximum rises to two years if a serious accusation is untrue, or if an accusation is made or spread through mass media and is likely to significantly harm the victim. Under section 275 these offenses are subject to private prosecution by the victim, but at the victim's request the prosecution service can bring the case in aggravated cases under section 268, when the accusation could cost someone a public position or office, or when a serious accusation was spread anonymously.

Source1Danish Criminal Code, sections 267, 268 and 275 (Danish)

Under section 96 of the Criminal Code, the right to bring a private prosecution, or to ask the authorities to prosecute, lapses six months after the victim has enough knowledge to have a sufficient basis for the case; the same deadline applies to written and spoken statements. A request for the court to declare an accusation unjustified (section 270) has a three-year deadline instead. Money claims generally fall under the Limitation Act: the period is three years, counted from when the damage occurred or, if the victim did not know of the claim or the person responsible, from when they knew or should have known, and such claims are generally barred no later than ten years after the harmful act ended.

Sources1Danish Criminal Code, section 96 (Danish)4Limitation Act (Forældelsesloven), LBK nr 1238 of 9 November 2015, sections 2(4) and 3 (Danish)

Danish law does not use the US defamation per se categories. Instead, section 26 of the Liability for Damages Act grants compensation for the non-financial harm (tort) caused by an unlawful violation of someone's honor, so no financial loss has to be shown, and for particularly serious violations of honor compensation is payable even without proof of such harm.

Source2Liability for Damages Act, section 26(1) and (4) (Danish)

The EU anti-SLAPP Directive (2024/1069), which protects people from abusive civil lawsuits with cross-border implications brought over their public participation and which other member states had to implement by 7 May 2026, does not bind Denmark because of its opt-out under Protocol No 22. Its safeguards, such as early dismissal of manifestly unfounded claims, therefore do not apply there through the Directive. Separately, section 266(2) of the Criminal Code treats a criminal threat as more serious when it is aimed at stopping someone from using their freedom of expression in public debate.

Sources5Directive (EU) 2024/1069, Articles 1, 11 and 22 and recital 531Danish Criminal Code, section 266(2) (Danish)

If an accusation is found to be unjustified, the court will, at the victim's request, include a statement saying so in its judgment (section 270 of the Criminal Code), and on conviction it can order the statement or image deleted where possible; if the convicted person does not control it, the duty can be placed on whoever does (section 271). For factual claims published in mass media that are likely to cause significant financial or other harm, the Media Liability Act gives the person concerned a right of reply (genmæle), which the editor must publish free of charge unless the information is clearly correct; the written request must reach the editor within 12 weeks of publication.

Sources1Danish Criminal Code, sections 270 and 271 (Danish)3Media Liability Act, sections 36-40 (Danish)

Under section 269 of the Criminal Code, a defamatory statement is not punishable if it was made in a context where there was reasonable cause for it. Courts weigh, among other things, whether the accusation is proven true or had a sufficient factual basis, and whether it was made in good faith to protect a legitimate interest. No evidence of a crime may be offered against someone who was finally acquitted of it.

Source1Danish Criminal Code, section 269 (Danish)

Section 242 of the Criminal Code makes stalking an offense: systematically and persistently contacting, following or otherwise harassing another person in a way likely to violate their peace. It carries a fine or up to three years in prison, and the wording does not distinguish between online and offline contact.

Source1Danish Criminal Code, section 242 (Danish)

Denmark has no single online harassment offense, so abusive online conduct is handled under general provisions. Threatening to commit a crime in a way likely to cause serious fear for someone's life, health or welfare is punishable by a fine or up to two years (section 266), statements likely to damage someone's honor fall under section 267, and systematic and persistent harassment can amount to stalking under section 242.

Source1Danish Criminal Code, sections 242, 266 and 267 (Danish)

There is no offense named doxxing. Depending on the facts, section 264d of the Criminal Code may apply: passing on, without right, messages or images about another person's private matters is punishable by a fine or up to six months in prison (rising to one year from 1 January 2027 under an amendment adopted in 2026), and up to three years in aggravated cases, for example given the nature of the information or how many people are affected. Using someone's personal details, such as their personal ID number, name or photo, to improperly pass yourself off as them is identity misuse under section 264e.

Sources1Danish Criminal Code, sections 264d and 264e (Danish)6Act no. 263 of 11 February 2026 amending the Criminal Code, section 1(31) and section 14(2) (Danish)

Sharing, without right, images of another person in circumstances that obviously call for them to be kept from a wider public is an offense under section 264d of the Criminal Code, with a fine or up to six months in prison (one year from 1 January 2027), or up to three years in aggravated cases. Section 264e covers passing on or producing sexual material that uses information about another person, such as their name or image, to improperly manipulate how they appear. On conviction, the court can order the images deleted (section 271), and when setting compensation under section 26 of the Liability for Damages Act, a court may give weight to the fact that the violation was a digital sexual violation.

Sources1Danish Criminal Code, sections 264d, 264e and 271 (Danish)6Act no. 263 of 11 February 2026 amending the Criminal Code, section 1(31) and section 14(2) (Danish)2Liability for Damages Act, section 26(2) and (3) (Danish)