Laws regarding rape

Following a barrage of criticism from NGOs and lawmakers over how rape should be defined and punished in the new penal code, Justice Minister Mihalis Kalogirou submitted an amendment which appeared to clarify that consent is needed for a sexual act.

Justice Minister Mihalis Kalogirou announced a "legislative improvement" of a controversial definition of rape included in a reformed penal code which the government introduced in Parliament this week, following an outcry by women's groups, Amnesty International and even female SYRIZA lawmakers.

Justice Minister Mihalis Kalogirou announced a "legislative improvement" of a controversial definition of rape included in a reformed penal code which the government introduced in Parliament this week, following an outcry by women's groups, Amnesty International and even female SYRIZA lawmakers.

Amnesty International has denounced the definition of rape included in a reformed penal code to be debated in Greece's Parliament on Thursday as "unacceptable." 
The group took issue with Article 336 of the code for its definition of rape, saying that it makes access to justice for victims of rape "even more difficult."

After years of preparatory work and months of deliberations and amendments, Justice Minister Mihalis Kalogirou tabled on Monday a draft bill on the reformed penal code.

The move is much anticipated by the legal community as well as inmates who expect their cases to be affected by the changes.
The reforms include the reclassification of certain felonies and misdemeanors.

The Bosnian state court on Friday acquitted Nenad Perovic of helping another, unidentified soldier rape a woman in the village of Dobrasina during the night of August 2-3, 1992.

Perovic was also acquitted of sexually abused another woman the same night.

On July 14, 2017, a court in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, convicted a woman and her boyfriend to a respective 40 and 47 years in prison for the rape and torture of the former's two children.

The Serbian Parliament has voted amendments to the Penal Code to abolish the 30- to 40-year prison sentence and introduce life imprisonment for the worst crimes, Tanjug reported.

The changes to the Balkan country's criminal law were approved with 159 votes in the 250-member assembly. 

The amendments abolish jail sentences of 30 and 40 years - until now the most severe legal penalty for the gravest crimes - and introduces life imprisonment instead.

Two provisions included in the government's proposals for sweeping changes to the Greek penal and criminal procedure codes have attracted criticism from both sides of the aisle.

The main opposition described a change that will reduce sentences for those convicted of running a criminal organization to 5-10 years from the current 10-20 years as "scandalous."