ZAGREB, 15 Jan (Hina) - The House of Representatives on Wednesday opened a discussion on a penal code bill, the regulations of which were presented by Assistant Justice Minister Tomislav Penic.
ZAGREB, 15 Jan (Hina) - The House of Representatives on Wednesday
opened a discussion on a penal code bill, the regulations of which
were presented by Assistant Justice Minister Tomislav Penic. #L#
Experience in developed European countries was taken into
account in the making of the bill and its basic principle is that
no one can be punished until his or her guilt is established.
The bill includes a set of new measures protecting human
rights, Penic said. The proposed penalty of 20 to 30 years of
imprisonment for the most serious criminal act of murder is the
lightest penalty in other European countries, Penic said.
Vice Vukojevic proposed on behalf of the Legislature Committee
that the session include only a discussion on basic principles of
the penal code bill, while Bosiljko Misetic said on behalf of the
Justice Committee that the Committee supports efforts aimed at the
introduction of fines. Misetic described as positive the
information saying that the penalty of six months' imprisonment can
be replaced by welfare work.
All parliamentary benches supported the penal code bill,
including remarks and proposals aimed at improving certain
regulations.
Vladimir Primorac of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS)
bench proposed that the order of criminal acts be changed and that
the criminal act against the state not be in the first place.
Boris Kandare of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) proposed
new penalties for the criminal act of rape committed during the
occupation and war, that is, for the act of the so-called ethnic
rape. For the criminal act of ethnic rape committed in war, Kandare
proposed a penalty of at least 12 years. For the criminal act of
ethnic rape not committed in war, Kandare proposed a penalty of at
least eight years. Fines and imprisonment for at least 5 to 10
years were proposed as penalties for the criminal act of illegal
abortion. The HSP holds that abortion after 10 weeks' pregnancy is
murder.
Mato Arlovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said that it
was necessary to establish whether the bill had been cleared of
ideological regulations from the former system.
If we accept the penal code bill, Croatia will join law-ruled
states and be able to guarantee protection of the individual, the
society and the state, said Vladimir Seks of the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ).
The proposed regulations are in accordance with the Croatian
Constitution and basic principles of the Convention on Human Rights
and certain documents of the Council of Europe and United Nations,
Seks said.
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