The Dutch word ‘smaad’ means: making accusations against someone publicly, in order to damage someones reputation. If you do this knowing the accusations are not true, it is called ‘laster’.
In the UK defamation is split into two legal bases that a person can sue for: slander and libel. Slander is defamation of a person through a transient form of communication, generally speech. Libel is defamation of a person through a permanent form of communication, mostly the written word. The Dutch law does not make this distinction.
The Dutch word ‘smaad’ means: making accusations against someone publicly, in order to damage someones reputation. If you do this knowing the accusations are not true, it is called ‘laster’.
Slander is not punishable if the perpetrator acted out of necessary defense or could have assumed in good faith that the accusation was true and that the public interest required disclosure.