Crimen Injuria ....no joke
Crimen injuria is a crime under South African common law. It is defined as the act of “unlawfully, intentionally and seriously impairing the dignity of another.” Insulting, offensive language and emotional or psychological abuse can be considered as the crimes under crimen injuria.
The prevailing view is that dignity is a composite concept embracing the human claim to respect for the individual’s sense of self-respect, mental tranquillity and privacy.*
Defamation consists of the unlawful and intentional publication of matter that impairs another person’s reputation.
*Milton JRL South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Volume II) Common Law Crimes (third edition) Kenwyn: Juta 1996 at pp 493
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