Hunting Penal Code Revised After 2 Decades

Illegal hunting fines will increase by 15-30% following revisions by the Cabinet after 21 years, said a deputy at the Department of Environment.

According to Hamid Zohrabi, DOE's deputy for natural environment, the related notes under the code on illegal hunting that were passed in 1967 had been last revised by the parliament in 1996, ISNA reported.

"However, due to noticeable socioeconomic changes in the country and the increasing threats against the environment during the past decades, another revision was essential to coordinate the violations with their respective penalties and strengthen their dissuasive power," he added.

Based on Article 68 of the constitution passed in 2001, the government is authorized to amend the penalty codes every three years, without seeking the parliament's approval.

The amendments were approved by the Cabinet's subordinate commercial commission during a meeting held in mid February.

Reportedly, the revisions are currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Justice.

"It will be referred to the commercial commission before it is approved and enacted by the government," Zohrabi said.

The official noted that the revisions have been made to enhance environmental protection.

"In view of the recent rise in environmental crimes, increasing the efficiency and the power of penal codes is inevitable," he added.

Currently, the fine defined for the illegal hunting of three endangered species, namely Asiatic cheetah, fallow deer and Caspian seal, are respectively 1 billion, 600 million and 150 million rials ($22,700, $13,600 and $3,409 respectively).