The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Northern Macedonia and the Public Prosecutor’s Office have targeted all citizens, media and other entities that support suspected war crimes against civilians in Ukraine, as well as other acts of violence against the civilian population, warning that under applicable law, anyone who commits such an act may be punished by one to five years in prison.
“Approving or justifying genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes is a crime under Article 407 of the Criminal Code.”. “The law stipulates that anyone who publicly denies, minimizes, approves and justifies such acts, through an information system, is punished with imprisonment of one to five years,” reads the announcement of the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje.
“If the offense was committed with the intent to incite hatred, discrimination or violence against a person or group of persons, because of their national, ethnic or racial or religious affiliation, the perpetrator shall be punished by imprisonment of at least four years.” press release.
The Prosecution and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have announced that they have taken action to investigate and sanction all those who violate Article 404 of the Criminal Code, which specifies the term “war crime against the civilian population.”
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Interior are intensively monitoring all statements and comments on social networks related to the events in Ukraine, and in accordance with their legal competencies will take concrete actions to prosecute all perpetrators, who with their public announcements and attitudes support crime. We appeal to the citizens that if they notice such cases, to punish them before the competent bodies “, it is said in a notification of the Prosecution and the Ministry of Interior.
Their reaction came after there were various comments, insults and active support of violence on social networks in Northern Macedonia, especially after reports of possible crimes by Russia in the town of Bucha, near Kiev, where hundreds were seen. dead bodies of civilians.
