Case of „revenge porn” in Vaslui. A man who distributed intimate images of his ex-girlfriend to minors in her circle and other individuals was initially close to getting away with just a fine, as the court decided. Later, other judges sentenced him to prison.
Last spring, Cătălin Mălăeț, temporarily abroad, started a relationship with a young woman from a village in Vaslui. He persuaded her to send him intimate videos, threatening her with a breakup, writes Ziarul de Iași.
When the young woman later refused a sexual encounter, Mălăeț began to insult her and spread the videos to her mother, her 15-year-old cousin, and other acquaintances.
Subsequently, the girl was contacted on social networks by men who believed she offered sexual services. The account from which the images were sent was deleted, but the cousin recognized Mălăeț's voice in the voice messages.
He admitted to the deeds, citing a desire for "revenge."
Judges in Vaslui lenient with the aggressor
Charged with violating privacy, Mălăeț initially benefited from a lenient decision by the Vaslui Court: a criminal fine of 5,400 lei, equivalent to 180 days-fine.
Even though he was a repeat offender and already had a suspended sentence from 2021 for aggravated robbery, still under supervision. And the fine would thus spare him from prison.
The Vaslui judges argued that the young man had shown "signs of correction" because he had not committed any other criminal acts in the three years since his first conviction. In their view, the fine was "a final warning from justice."
Prosecutors' appeal changes the fate of the case
Prosecutors challenged the sentence and requested imprisonment. They argued that the damage to the victim's image is irreversible, and the act was committed intentionally and with aggravated severity: among the recipients was a minor.
The judges of the Iași Court of Appeal agreed: "The Vaslui Court erred in assessing that leniency was necessary just because the offense was committed towards the end of the supervision period. On the contrary, this proves the inefficiency of the previous sanction."
The Iași Court of Appeal sentenced Mălăeț to 4 months in prison. This new conviction also led to the revocation of the previous suspended sentence, so he will serve three years and four months of detention.
Additionally, the court prohibited him from contacting the victim for a period of two years after release. The decision is final.
The act was classified as "violation of privacy" only after a legislative change in 2023, initiated by a USR senator. Until then, the distribution of intimate images received with consent was not punishable. In other European countries, sanctions are significantly harsher, reaching up to 6 years of imprisonment.