ZAGREB, April 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday formulated amendments to the Criminal Code, introducing new crimes such as international terrorism, human cloning and illegal construction.
ZAGREB, April 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday
formulated amendments to the Criminal Code, introducing new crimes
such as international terrorism, human cloning and illegal
construction.#L#
Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt said that the amendments provided
for the new treatment of slander "that will practically decriminalise
libel".
Under the bill, libel would no longer qualify as a crime, but as an
offence to be addressed in a civil lawsuit. The burden of proof would
be shifted to the plaintiff, who would have to prove the existence of
intent.
Crimes against humanity would carry a prison sentence of at least five
years, and from one to eight years in cases of command responsibility
for such crimes.
Any form of discrimination, including that based on sexual
orientation, and the dissemination of racist and xenophobic content by
computer or otherwise would qualify as crimes.
Skare Ozbolt said that the proposed amendments represented the first
stage in changing criminal legislation. The second stage would focus
on introducing harsher penalties and extending the statute of
limitations.
(Hina) vm sb