A real novelty for the Penal Code: Sergio Berlato, Veneto regional councilor of Brothers of Italy has proposed in the last few hours the introduction of the crime of "disturbing the exercise of hunting and fishing activities and harassment of those exercising the activity of hunting or fishing". It is a state bill and the goal is soon said. In fact, Berlato spoke expressly of the desire to punish all those initiatives that in our country are an impediment or obstacle to hunting and fishing, all through adequate legislation. In addition, according to the signatory of the proposal, hunting and fishing are activities that are lawful and regulated by law, as well as explicitly provided for by some Community directives: those who exercise them must pay very high state and regional concession fees, consequently they should be better protected.
The official note of the councilor also relies on tensions and problems concerning hunting and fishing in Italy. According to Berlato this is an anomaly that does not exist in any other country and which is often artfully fueled by political exploitation or byextremism of animal rights activists and environmentalists. In particular, the cases of opposition against hunting and fishing activities by those who are opposed to these forms of withdrawal for ideological reasons are increased.
The situation was defined by the exponent a "serious emergency" against which the Italian State must act quickly to guarantee public order and public peace of mind: the interests to be monitored, then, would not only be those of hunters and fishermen. How could this bill proceed? The idea is to enter the offense in a brand new article of the Criminal Code, 660-bis: Article 660 currently in force is dedicated to harassment and disturbance of people, complete with a specially designed contravention.
With a single article, Berlato hopes to punish all the conduct of those who realize real obstacles to hunting and fishing with a certain behavior, preventing its free and regular development. An offense of this type would be punished as provided for by the Criminal Code itself, that is, with arrest from 6 to 18 months or with a minimum fine of 5 thousand euros (up to a maximum of 30 thousand). Finally, it should not be forgotten that the punishment of the proposal would be combined in the case of an act committed with the cooperation of a greater number of people: in the hypothesis of recidivism or of a person with a previous conviction, the penalty would be doubled with the probation order.
I am fully in favor.