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3. The accused person shall not be allowed to give proof and
he shall be liable to punishment if these allegations have been
made or spread without due regard to public interest or
without other sufficient motives, principally, with a view to
saying ill of other people, notably when they concern
someone's private or family life.
4. If the author admits the falseness of his allegations and
withdraws the same, the judge may reduce the punishment or
exempt the offender from any penalty.
Art. 174.
Defamation.
1. He who, knowing the falseness of his allegations, shall by
addressing a third party, have accused someone or thrown on
that person the suspicion of having conduct contrary to
honourable behaviour, or of any other act liable to reflect on
that person's reputation.
he who shall have spread such accusations or such suspicions
knowing them to be meaningless; shall, upon complaint,
be punished by imprisonment or a fine.
2. The punishment shall be imprisonment for at least one
month if the slanderer has, intentionally, sought to ruin the
reputation of his victim.