The creator and admin of the Public Room group on the encrypted messaging app Telegram were taken into custody after the prosecution had issued an arrest warrant. They will be prosecuted for “production and distribution of child pornography.”
A public prosecutor has ordered that the two suspects, aged 32 and 21, should be put in detention because they are considered a flight risk and could tamper with witnesses.
“From December 19, 2019, until January 28, 2020, the two suspects who created and administered the group were tasked with being considerate with the messages and photos shared in the group. But, they had premeditated and allowed videos of sexual intercourse with a minor to be shared in the group,” the Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release Friday.
As regards certain Telegram group members being reported to the police by victims of online harassment, the Public Prosecutor’s Office said that measures are taken as part of pre-investigative proceedings.
The prosecution encourages the victims who suffered online harassment in the Public Room group chat or from similar events to file reports to the police.
“We support call for amending the Criminal Code to include ‘stalking’ and ‘sexual harassment’ in order to allow related crimes to be prosecuted more efficiently,” said the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
