Repeated driving of a vehicle by a person who does not have a driving license entails criminal liability
Individuals driving vehicles while intoxicated, as well as those without a driver's license, pose a particular danger on the roads.
In order to ensure road safety, the state took measures in 2020-2021 to introduce relevant amendments to the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, aimed at increasing the responsibility of this category of drivers for driving vehicles. Thus, by the Law of 26.05.2021, Article 317-2 was introduced into the Criminal Code, establishing responsibility for driving a vehicle by a person who does not have the right to drive such a vehicle, if this act is committed repeatedly.
For the purposes of this article, an act is considered committed repeatedly if a person, within one year after the imposition of an administrative penalty under Part 2 of Article 18.14 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for driving a vehicle without having the right to drive it, commits the same offense again.
Committing this crime is punishable by public works, or a fine, or correctional labor for up to six months, or arrest with or without deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities.
Driving a vehicle by a person who does not have the right to drive it, and who has previously committed a crime provided for by Article 317-2 of the Criminal Code, entails criminal liability under Part 2 of the said article, which provides for punishment in the form of a fine, or correctional labor for up to two years, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for up to two years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities.
The specified amendments to the Criminal Code entered into force on 19.06.2021.
Senior Prosecutor of the Department for Supervision
over the Enforcement of Legislation and
Legality of Legal Acts
Junior Justice Counselor I.V. Kryukovskaya