- Legal Basis
- § 184b StGB
- Sentencing Range
- Imprisonment from one to ten years for distribution; imprisonment from one to five years for possession; acquisition carries imprisonment up to three years
- Summary
- Distributing, acquiring, possessing, or producing child sexual abuse material depicting sexual acts involving minors under fourteen
Distribution, Acquisition, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (Section 184b StGB)
The distribution, acquisition, and possession of child sexual abuse material are among the most intensively prosecuted offences in the area of sexual criminal law. The legislature significantly tightened sentencing ranges in 2021 — possession and distribution have since been classified as serious crimes (Verbrechen). The provision protects children under 14 from sexual exploitation by criminalising the market for depictions of sexual abuse.
Legal Basis
Section 184b(1) of the German Criminal Code (StGB) provides (in excerpt):
“Anyone who distributes or makes publicly available child pornographic content shall be punished with imprisonment from one to ten years.”
Section 184b(3) StGB punishes possession with imprisonment from one to five years. Acquisition and obtaining are also punished with imprisonment under Section 184b(3) sentence 2 StGB.
Elements of the Offence
Child pornographic content: Pornographic content depicting sexual acts by, on, or in front of children (persons under 14). This includes depictions of actual abuse, as well as realistic virtual depictions and, under certain conditions, fictional depictions.
Distribution: Making accessible to a larger, no longer controllable group of persons, such as uploading to the internet, sending via messenger to multiple recipients, or passing on physical data carriers.
Possession: Actual control over the content, including in digital form (on a hard drive, smartphone, in the cloud). Even a single image may suffice.
Acquisition and obtaining: Deliberately gaining control over the content. An accidental download cannot satisfy the offence if the content is immediately deleted and no intent to possess existed.
Production (Section 184b(1) No. 3 StGB): Production of child pornographic content depicting actual events is punished with imprisonment from two to fifteen years.
Typical Methods of Commission
Common forms include downloading from the internet (darknet, specialised forums), exchange via encrypted messaging services, storage on devices or cloud services, forwarding in chat groups (including thoughtlessly in WhatsApp groups), and production through secret filming or photographing.
Sentencing Range
Distribution (Section 184b(1) StGB) carries imprisonment from one to ten years — it constitutes a serious crime (Verbrechen). Possession (Section 184b(3) StGB) carries imprisonment from one to five years. Production depicting actual events (Section 184b(1) No. 3 StGB) carries imprisonment from two to fifteen years. In less serious cases (Section 184b(2) and (3) sentence 2 StGB), the sentence may be reduced to imprisonment from three months to five years.
Typical Defence Strategies
The defence first examines the digital forensic evidence: were the files actually deliberately downloaded, or were they merely in the browser cache? Was the accused the actual user of the device? Can access data be reliably attributed? Furthermore, it must be examined whether the content actually qualifies as child pornographic in the legal sense — age estimation of the depicted persons is frequently disputed. Since the 2021 tightening, classification as a less serious case has gained considerable importance, as even possession constitutes a serious crime. Exclusionary rules for unlawful searches or seizures and violations of the judicial reservation requirement for the analysis of data carriers are also relevant defence approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was ist nach § 184b StGB strafbar?
Strafbar sind das Verbreiten, das Sichverschaffen und der Besitz entsprechender Inhalte. Die Tat ist seit 2021 als Verbrechen ausgestaltet; bereits der Besitz ist mit einer Mindeststrafe bedroht.
Welche Verteidigungsansätze gibt es?
Im Mittelpunkt stehen Vorsatz und Kenntnis, die Zurechnung von Dateien (etwa über Cache oder automatische Downloads) sowie die Verwertbarkeit der Beweismittel. Wir verteidigen mit höchster Diskretion.
Was ist nach einer Search Warrant zu beachten?
Häufig kommt es zu Search Warrant und Sicherstellung von Geräten. Machen Sie keine Angaben zur Sache und schalten Sie sofort einen Verteidiger ein.
Muss ich zur Polizei, wenn ich als Beschuldigter vorgeladen werde?
Einer rein polizeilichen Police Summons müssen Sie als Beschuldigter nicht folgen, und Sie sind nie verpflichtet, sich zur Sache zu äußern. Einer Ladung der Staatsanwaltschaft oder des Gerichts sollten Sie folgen – schweigen dürfen Sie aber auch dort.
Sollte ich vor der Akteneinsicht aussagen?
In aller Regel nein. Ohne Kenntnis der Ermittlungsakte lässt sich nicht beurteilen, welche Beweise vorliegen. Eine Einlassung sollte erst nach Akteneinsicht und in Abstimmung mit dem Verteidiger erfolgen.
Kann ein Strafverfahren eingestellt werden?
Ja. Je nach Beweislage kommen eine Einstellung mangels hinreichenden Tatverdachts (§ 170 II StPO), wegen Geringfügigkeit (§ 153 StPO) oder gegen Auflagen (§ 153a StPO) in Betracht. Nach Akteneinsicht prüfen wir die Möglichkeiten.
Summons or accusation of Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography? What matters now
Make no statement to the police at first
As an accused person you are never obliged to comment on the allegation. Anything said to the police can be used against you. Provide statements only through your defense attorney and only after reviewing the case file.
File inspection comes first
A sound defense against the allegation of Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography requires knowledge of the investigation file. Only once the available evidence is clear can we decide whether a statement is advisable or whether remaining silent is the better strategy.
Possible discontinuation of proceedings
Not every case ends in a main hearing. Depending on the evidence and any prior record, the proceedings may be discontinued for lack of sufficient suspicion (§ 170 II StPO), for triviality (§ 153 StPO) or subject to conditions (§ 153a StPO). Often a penalty order without a public trial can be achieved.
Victim-offender mediation and restitution
In many cases, victim-offender mediation or making good the damage (§ 46a StGB) can significantly reduce the sentence or enable a discontinuation. Whether this is advisable in your case is something we assess based on the file.
What we do after reviewing the file
We examine the evidence for reliability and admissibility, look for procedural errors, develop the defense strategy, negotiate with the public prosecutor on a discontinuation and represent you, if necessary, in the main hearing before the District Court or Regional Court of Bonn.
Available 24/7: +49 228 504 463 36
This information does not replace a review of the individual case. In criminal proceedings, the defence strategy depends substantially on the case file, the specific allegation and the evidence.
Why BAFTEH Strafverteidigung?
- Direct contact with your defense attorney – no intermediaries
- Available around the clock, including nights and weekends
- Fast file inspection and a clear defense strategy
- Focused exclusively on criminal law
- Defense in Bonn, Cologne and the entire region
Written by attorney Philip Bafteh, criminal defense lawyer in Bonn. Philip Bafteh publishes regularly on criminal and commercial law and defends accused persons in investigative and trial proceedings.
More about the attorney →Last updated: Mai 2026
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