Criminal responsibility is introduced for flayers in Belarus

New Article No.339.1 in the Criminal Code “Cruelty to animals” is to start working in a week.

Animal defenders’ activities held in 2013-2014 resulted in implementation of criminal responsibility for animal cruelty. Finally, amendments to the Criminal and Administrative Codes were implemented, the Assembly Of Pro-Democratic NGOs Of Belarus informs. Now, cruelty against an animal resulted in its death or injury is regarded a criminal offence and is punished by correctional labor, deprivation of freedom for up to 1 year, fine or arrest.

Draft law On Animals’ Protection was added to the list of legal acts to be prepared in 2015.

Earlier EuroBelarus Information Service informed its readers that General Prosecutor’s Office supported the proposal to criminalize animal cruelty, charging the Ministry of Internal Affairs officials with the right to revise Article 15.45 of the Administrative Offences Code and Article 339.1 of the Criminal Code.

An interview with volunteers for an animal organizations and animal shelters and specialists in Minsk veterinary clinics about their opinion on the situation with animal rights in Belarus was published at our news portal.

Let us also recall that in the frames of “NO to animal cruelty!” campaign, volunteers sent collective petitions on behalf of several animal protection organizations to the Presidential Administration, Ministry of International Affairs and other governmental bodies. Apart from that, 820 petitions from citizens were sent to the General Prosecutor’s office and Ministry of Internal Affairs. Several thousand petitions were addressed to the Parliament, Government and President calling on adoption of a Law on animal’s protection.