A new criminal offense will be added to the Criminal Code. Damage to war graves, military graves and Holocaust memorials will also be the new law. This follows from the amendment to the Criminal Code, which the members of the National Council (NR) of the Slovak Republic approved on Tuesday.
According to the new law, in case of defacement or damage to the place where the human remains of a war or military victim are kept, a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust or other genocide, a tombstone or a monument commemorating a war or military event, and causing minor damage will face a prison sentence of up to one year. In case of greater damage or conviction for such an act in the previous 24 months, the penalty is imprisonment for up to two years.
In the event that the perpetrator commits an act for a special motive, in a crisis situation, as a public official, in a more serious way or causes significant damage, he would face imprisonment for one to five years. In the event that he commits the given act as a member of a dangerous group, causes damage of a large scale or commits it in a protected territory, he would face a prison sentence of two to six years.
The coalition MPs behind the amendment argued that damage to military and war monuments should be looked at differently, taking into account their importance, and should be distinguished from damage to other “regular” things. The amendment is to enter into force on April 1.
