The government wants to introduce into the Criminal Code a special crime of “insulting the physical integrity of a law enforcement or security officer,” which would increase penalties for attacks on police officers “in the performance of their functions or through their fault, in simple forms, qualified and privileged.” In 2022, according to the Homeland Security Annual Report, 995 law enforcement and security personnel were injured that did not require hospitalization, and 19 were injured and required hospitalization. There were also two deaths. Between January and August this year, the PNP alone recorded three attacks per day, a 38% increase from 2022. 168 soldiers were injured.
Until now, the maximum sentence was 3 years, now it increases to 4, and in particularly undesirable circumstances it can reach 5 years. The minimum sentence is also increased from 6 months to one year. The proposed law, which will be presented to the Assembly of the Republic, was approved this Thursday by the Council of Ministers. “The urgency of dealing with cases relating to crimes against life or physical integrity committed against or by agents of security forces and services, in the performance of their functions or due to their fault,” the government statement said.