Distinguished crime women’s murder for Croatia

A great step towards the adoption of amendments by the House in order to officially constitute a separate crime. The Croatian Parliament approved today (14.03.24), amendments to the penal code so that femaleicide would be registered as a separate crime. Malta, and Cyprus were the first countries in the European Union to have approved the term in legislation with Croatia to become the third in a row. Changes to the penal code were approved with 77 MPs voting in favour, while 60 voted against, while the text adopted provides for prison sentences from 10 to 40 years, the most heavy penalty of Croatian legislation. “With these changes we protect women’s right, security and dignity and send the message that violence against women is unacceptable,” Croatian conservative Prime Minister Andrei Plenkovic said in late February, presenting the proposal for a law. EU statistics show that in 2022 2,300 women’s homicides in Europe were blocked with perpetrators partners or family members of the victims. 13 women were murdered in Croatia in 2022 with 12 killed by their relatives and 9 women’s deaths occurred in 2023. Parliament had decided to propose this text after the murder in September of Michaela Berak, a 20-year-old law student, who was murdered by a police officer with whom he had a short relationship. The student’s death caused a heated debate about the gaps in the system that its role is to protect victims through legislation. Protests took place throughout the country claiming justice for Mihaela and the registration of femaleicide in the law, which was finally achieved.