Penal Code of 15 September 1865.

The Penal Code establishes the general and special rules of criminal law for the Republic. The instrument regulates the non-retroactivity and favourable retroactive application of criminal provisions, the territorial and extraterritorial application of criminal law, the limits of judicial interpretation, the definition and classification of offences, criminal responsibility, attempted offences, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, repetition and recidivism, co-offending and complicity, civil obligations arising from offences, extinction of criminal proceedings and penalties, rehabilitation, and the structure and execution of principal and accessory penalties. The Special Part criminalises a broad range of conduct affecting State security, public administration, justice, religion, public morals, public health, public food supply, commerce, public faith, public finance, public tranquillity, the family, the person, liberty, reputation, property and public safety.
It includes provisions concerning food safety, public health, animals, rural property, agricultural production and natural resources. The Code penalises the poisoning of foodstuffs, beverages, public fountains, cisterns and wells; the sale of poisoned or harmful food, beverages, medicines and other goods; the sale of unhealthy, corrupted or adulterated meat and other foodstuffs; contamination of public water sources; and the keeping or disposal of materials causing noxious or fetid emissions. It also contains provisions on the burial or destruction of animals dead from disease, including stricter obligations where contagious animal disease is present, and regulates conduct affecting public food supply, including neglect in public provisioning, exceeding official prices for foodstuffs, market speculation, export prohibitions on staple supplies and fraudulent diversion of goods intended for the Republic.
The Code also includes provisions of relevance to agriculture, land and natural resources through offences concerning damage to rural property, trees, vines, crops, hedges, irrigation or water channels, wells, reservoirs, agricultural implements and grazing on another person’s land. It further addresses fire, flooding and damage affecting forests, vineyards, olive groves, planted areas, agricultural products, hay, straw, timber, field crops and structures used for livestock. The contraventions include rules concerning slaughter of animals for sale without prior inspection, animal disease notification, control of rabid animals, keeping of goats, pigs and sheep, hunting in breach of hunting regulations, unauthorised quarrying or mineral excavation, maintenance of rural roads, drainage ditches and branches over public roads.