Penalties for intentional damage or destruction of cultural property will be tightened.
According to Modern.az, this issue is reflected in the draft law on amendments to the Criminal Code, which was discussed at today's plenary session of the Milli Majlis.
According to the draft, intentional damage to movable or immovable cultural property protected by the state, committed with significant damage (a "significant amount" is understood as an amount exceeding three thousand manats), shall be punishable by a fine in the amount of up to twice the damage caused by the crime, or by restriction of liberty for a term of up to two years, or by deprivation of liberty for the same term.
Intentional destruction of movable cultural property protected by the state shall be punishable by a fine in the amount of two to three times the damage caused by the crime, or by restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years, or by deprivation of liberty for the same term.
Intentional destruction of immovable cultural property protected by the state shall be punishable by a fine in the amount of three to five times the damage caused by the crime, or by restriction of liberty for a term of three to five years, or by deprivation of liberty for the same term.
The draft law was adopted in the first reading.
When the acts specified above are committed repeatedly, or by an official using their official position, or by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy, an organized group or a criminal association (organization), or on the grounds of national, racial or religious enmity, religious fanaticism, they shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of four to eight years, with or without deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years.
“Cultural property protected by the state” refers to cultural property included in the list of protected cultural property in accordance with the Law “On Culture”, as well as cultural property for which a decision on the identification of cultural property has been made until its inclusion in that list or until its inclusion in that list has been refused.
