Not complying with land seizure procedures can lead to up to 8 years in prison

The Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Code of Administrative Responsibility have been introduced amendments in accordance with the law.

The Criminal Code is supplemented by Article 1731 (Illegal seizure of land), which consists of five paragraphs. According to paragraph 1, an unlawful seizure of a land plot after paying an administrative penalty for the same acts shall be punished by a fine of 200 to 250 BCAs or by 300 to 360 hours of mandatory community service or disciplinary work for up to two years.

Paragraph 2 of this article specifies aggravating circumstances. For illegal seizure of a land plot, which entailed the demolition of buildings and other structures or plantings on a seized land plot, without preliminary and full compensation for losses at the market value, the violator shall be subject to incarceration for up to three years, if he commits this violation after paying an administrative penalty for the same actions or causes significant damage.

Paragraph 3 of this article stipulates that the same acts committed with severe damage shall be punished by incarceration for a period of three to five years, while under paragraph 4 of this article, the same acts committed causing exceptionally severe damage or threatening people shall be punished by deprivation of liberty for a period of five to eight years.