Is it a criminal offence to open mail

In most jurisdictions, it is illegal to open someone else's mail without their permission. This is considered a violation of their privacy and is often a criminal offense.

In the United States, for example, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has a specific law that prohibits the unauthorized opening of mail. The law states that "whoever, being a postal employee, opens or causes to be opened any mail or package, or takes or causes to be taken any mail or package, without authority, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both" (18 U.S.C. § 1702).

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the Royal Mail has a law that prohibits the unauthorized opening of mail. The law states that "whoever, being a postal employee, opens or causes to be opened any mail or package, or takes or causes to be taken any mail or package, without authority, shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, or to both" (Postal Services Act 2000, s. 14).

In Canada, the Criminal Code prohibits the unauthorized opening of mail. The law states that "whoever, being a postal employee, opens or causes to be opened any mail or package, or takes or causes to be taken any mail or package, without authority, shall be guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years" (Criminal Code, s. 342).

It's important to note that there may be exceptions to these laws, such as in cases where a postal employee is authorized to open mail as part of their job duties or in cases where a person has given explicit permission to open their mail. However, in general, it is illegal to open someone else's mail without their permission.