The courts of law in 2019 imposed punishment in the form of community service on over 3,700 persons, while in the first five months of this year on another over 1,100 people. In most of the cases, this punishment was ordered for driving under the influence of alcohol.

In a response for IPN, the Representation Practice Unification Section of the Prosecutor General’s Office said that most of the penalties in the form of community service were imposed as a result of the exclusion of fine in 2018 and the inclusion of community service only for drunk driving. This way, more than 2,000 persons in 2019 got such punishment for DUI.

Community service was also ordered for domestic violence, stealing of goods from persons, violation of domicile, illegal distribution of drugs, ethnobotanicals or analogs without the purpose of sale, hooliganism, making, holding, sale or use of official documents, false stamps or seals, threatening or use of violence against a person with a responsible post or a person who carries out their public duties, etc.

The convicts did such work as cleaning of territory of industrial enterprises, assistance in doing seasonal field works, including gathering of fruit and vegetables. The convict can be involved in works that require special qualifications only if this has such qualifications.

Under the Penal Code, community service can last for 60 to 240 hours for two to four hours a day outside the working or study hours. The timetable is agreed together with the convicted person. If the convict is not involved in work or studies, this can work for up to eight hours a day, on his/her request.

If the convicted persons have to work for more than four hours a day, the probation body is obliged to introduce a break of at least 30 minutes in the hours distribution timetable.