Croatia proposes life imprisonment and new measures for high-risk offenders

(Photo: Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation)

ZAGREB, 12 June 2026 – Croatia’s Minister of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation, Damir Habijan, has presented a package of legislative reforms that would introduce life imprisonment and strengthen measures aimed at managing offenders convicted of the most serious crimes.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Habijan outlined three main directions for the proposed reforms.

These include introducing life imprisonment into Croatia’s Criminal Code, redefining post-release supervision measures, and establishing a new legal framework governing the treatment and accommodation of individuals who continue to pose a significant risk to society after serving their prison sentences in full.

Under the proposal, life imprisonment would be introduced as an alternative to long-term prison sentences for the gravest criminal offences. The draft measures would allow for the possibility of parole after 25 years served.

The proposal also states that criminal prosecution and the enforcement of life imprisonment sentences would not be subject to statutory limitation periods.

A second set of changes would reform the existing post-release protective supervision system. Under the proposed model, courts would be able to impose a special supervision measure following the full completion of a prison sentence.

According to Habijan, such measures would be ordered by a court upon the recommendation of a prison institution, supported by expert assessments and subject to regular reviews to determine whether continued supervision remains justified.

The third area of reform involves the creation of a special law regulating the treatment and accommodation of individuals who have fully served sentences for the most serious offences against life, bodily integrity, personal freedom or sexual integrity, but who are still assessed as presenting a serious danger to society.

Decisions on these measures would be made by courts through non-contentious proceedings and implemented in a specially designated institution. The necessity of the measures would be reviewed periodically.

Part of the proposed legislative package was also presented by Health Minister Irena Hrstić, who outlined plans for a new law under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health.

Hrstić explained that the legislation would apply to individuals characterised primarily by violent personality traits rather than those diagnosed with mental health disorders. She stressed that the proposal does not concern people with a recognised illness requiring medical treatment, but instead introduces a specific form of structured intervention and supervision.

She said implementation would require cooperation across multiple government sectors and an individualised approach to each case. The proposed institution would be neither a healthcare facility nor a correctional institution, but a specially established facility operating under clearly defined criteria.

According to Hrstić, the treatment model would be based on the principles of individualisation, multidisciplinarity, comprehensiveness, dignity and evidence-based practice.

The working title of the legislation is currently the Draft Law on the Treatment and Accommodation of Persons Following the Full Execution of a Prison Sentence. Its primary focus is on individuals assessed as having dominant violent personality characteristics.

Government officials said the proposed reforms aim to balance the protection of fundamental individual rights with society’s need for effective protection from perpetrators of the most serious crimes. The measures are also intended to comply with standards established through the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

Habijan added that the reforms would require amendments to several related laws, including the Juvenile Courts Act, the Criminal Procedure Act and the Execution of Prison Sentences Act.