Croatia introduces life imprisonment and ecocide laws

Croatia is implementing significant amendments to its Criminal Code, including the introduction of life imprisonment for 15 of the most serious offenses. Starting in 2027, those sentenced to life may be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. The reforms also introduce the crime of ecocide, which carries a minimum ten-year sentence and is not subject to statutes of limitations, alongside stricter penalties for arson and new protections for animal welfare.

Additionally, a new law will establish a specialized inter-sectoral institution to house high-risk offenders after they complete their prison sentences. While Health Minister Irena Hrstić stated that the facility will fall under the Ministry of Health to provide individual treatment for those with violent personality traits, psychiatric experts have raised concerns. Goran Arbanas, head of the Forensic Psychiatry Institute at Vrapče Clinic, warned that placing non-mentally ill criminals within the healthcare system could stigmatize mental health patients and overburden medical resources.