PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19 DISEASE: CRIMINAL LAW ASPECT

Abstract

The outbreak of the contagious disease COVID-19 has led to major changes in everyday life. There is almost no segment of life and work that has not been affected. In this context, the paper analyzes the criminal law aspect of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the Republic of Serbia, by presenting two criminal offences whose incrimination is important for pandemic control: Failure to comply with the Health Regulations during an Epidemic (Article 248 CC) and Transmitting a Contagious Disease (Article 249 CC). The work of judicial bodies during the pandemic will be presented and analyzed with reference to the statistical data issued by the Statistics Office of the Republic of Serbia on the number of criminal reports, charges, convictions and sanctions imposed for the commission of these criminal offences in the first pandemic year (2020). The statistical data will provide a clear insight into the phenomenological characteristics of this form of crime in Serbia, which will enable the formulation of recommendations for improving the response of the criminal justice system de lege ferenda.