Up to 5 years in prison and a PLN 5,000 fine—these are the penalties provided for in the draft amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Petty Offenses adopted by the Council of Ministers. As we read on gov.pl:

The changes are intended to provide more effective protection against violence not only for public officials—police officers, firefighters, municipal guards and paramedics—but also for doctors, nurses, mountain and water rescuers, as well as citizens who, risking their own lives, respond to violence or rescue accident victims.

The Council of Ministers adopted a draft amendment that will strengthen the protection of people saving the health and lives of others. Minister of Health Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda:

In recent years, attacks on emergency services, as well as on civilians who decided to help while risking their own lives, have become increasingly common. The new provisions are intended to counteract this.

The amendment responds to demands from the medical community and is the result of cooperation between ministries. I have no doubt that it is a good draft, and I hope it will be processed quickly.

Last year, emergency medical teams intervened more than 3.2 million times, and as many as three thousand times they themselves needed assistance following acts of violence. The penalty for attacking a healthcare worker must be severe and unavoidable.

Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek:

Safety is a priority for us. Violence against people who help others will not be tolerated. Whether it is a paramedic, police officer, firefighter or any citizen who saves others.

We must all also feel safe when going, for example, to a clinic, hospital or public office.

Impunity for those who dare to attack must end.

There will be tougher penalties for violence against people intervening. What kind?

  • Attacking a police officer, firefighter, paramedic or person rescuing others—for example, stopping an attacker, breaking up a fight or rescuing someone from a fire—will carry a prison sentence of between 3 months and 5 years.
  • Citizens who intervene will also receive the same protection as public officials.

What was it like before?

Until now, the penalty for violating the bodily integrity of an official was up to 3 years, while attacking a citizen rescuing others carried a sentence of up to 2 years in prison.

Greater protection against verbal aggression

  • Anyone insulted during an intervention—for example, through verbal abuse or insults—will be treated as a public official, and the prosecutor’s office will promptly handle the case. A request from the injured party will be sufficient, and the case will be handled by the prosecutor’s office rather than by the insulted person.
  • Aggressive behavior in a public place, such as a hospital or public office, will carry a penalty of arrest, restriction of liberty, a fine of PLN 1,000 to PLN 5,000, or a PLN 1,000 ticket;
  • The same penalty will apply to disturbing the peace and public order while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicating substances, such as legal highs.

Judgments to be made public

At the injured party’s request, the court will have to publish the judgment, thereby revealing the perpetrator’s identity—for example, on a website—if the perpetrator is convicted.

Accelerated proceedings

If someone is caught in the act, the police will be required, rather than merely permitted, to arrest and bring them before a court, where the court will try the perpetrator under accelerated proceedings. This will apply if the attack takes place in a hospital, clinic or public office, or during a medical operation.

The adopted measures are to enter into force 14 days after their publication in the Journal of Laws.