A lawyer explained when swearing in a voice message will result in a fine.

      12 January 2026 16:50 Society

      A Muscovite was fined 3,000 rubles for a voice message containing insults in the Telegram messenger. The prosecutor's office used the victim's audio file as evidence in the administrative case.

      Lawyer Darya Akhtyrko, commenting on the case in an interview with 360.ru, noted that Russians rarely resort to litigation to hold people accountable for insults, and it is extremely difficult to obtain punishment in such cases.

      According to the lawyer, the law regards an insult as a humiliation of honor and dignity expressed in an indecent or morally inappropriate form. This can be an oral or written statement, as well as a message made publicly in the presence of witnesses who can confirm the fact of the insult.

      If the voice message was sent in private messages and was not intended for third parties, it may be considered an expression of personal opinion for which one cannot be held liable. Akhtyrko emphasized that to bring someone to account it is important to have witnesses or to conduct a special expert examination to determine whether the recording is offensive. However, the cost of such an examination may exceed the amount of the fine the defendant faces.

      In the case of the fined Muscovite, an important factor was her admission of guilt, which made it possible to hold her accountable. The fine imposed on her will be paid into state revenue, but she may seek compensation for moral harm on the basis of this ruling.

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