A controversial court ruling in Germany has declared that filming naked women in public saunas is not illegal, prompting calls for urgent legal reform. The decision came after a man was caught secretly recording women with his phone hidden in a rolled-up towel at a sauna in Leipzig.
Prosecutors dropped the case, citing Paragraph 201a of the German Penal Code, which only criminalises covert filming in spaces 'especially protected against viewing,' such as toilets or locked changing cabins. Public saunas do not qualify, even when occupants are fully nude.
The victims expressed disbelief. One woman said: 'I had this letter in front of me and couldn’t believe it. It states in black and white that he can take photos of naked women and will not be punished for it.' The man was allowed to keep his phone and all recordings without penalty.
A spokesman for the Leipzig Public Prosecutor’s Office acknowledged the behaviour was 'extremely morally reprehensible' but added that 'not every behaviour that deserves disapproval constitutes a criminal offence.' Legal experts argue the law is outdated, based on pre-smartphone definitions.
The case has reignited a national campaign for change. A petition has been launched to close the 'shameful' privacy loophole. Activist Marleen Maxeiner, who shared her own experience of being ogled in a sauna, has garnered widespread support on social media, with thousands praising her refusal to stay silent.
