Act C of 2012 on the Criminal Code (as in force on 1 April 2022)
This document has been produced for informational purposes only.
Act C of 2012
on the Criminal Code
The National Assembly,
with a view to protecting the inviolable and inalienable fundamental rights of human beings,
as well as the independence, territorial integrity, economy and national assets of the country,
taking into account the obligations of Hungary under international and European Union law,
for the purpose of exerting the State’s exclusive criminal jurisdiction,
adopts the following Act:
GENERAL PART
CHAPTER I
FUNDAMENTAL PROVISIONS
Principle of legality
Section 1 (1) The criminal liability of the perpetrator shall be established only for an act
which was punishable under an Act at the time of commission, except for acts punishable
under the generally recognised rules of international law.
(2) No penalty shall be imposed and no measure shall be applied due to committing a
criminal offence if it was not provided for by an Act at the time of commission or, if
section 2 (2) is applied, of adjudication.
CHAPTER II
HUNGARIAN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION
Temporal scope
Section 2 (1) A criminal offence shall be adjudicated under the criminal law in force at the
time of commission, with the exceptions specified in paragraphs (2) to (3).
(2) If an act is not a criminal offence under the new criminal law in force at the time of
adjudicating the act, or is to be adjudged more leniently, the new criminal law shall apply.
(3) The new criminal law shall apply retroactively for adjudicating an act punishable under
the generally recognised rules of international law if the act was not punishable under the
Hungarian criminal law at the time of commission.
Territorial and personal scope
Section 3 (1) Hungarian criminal law shall apply to
a) criminal offences committed in Hungary,
b) criminal offences committed on vessels flying the flag of Hungary, or on aircrafts flying
the flag of Hungary, being outside the territory of Hungary,
c) acts committed by Hungarian nationals abroad if the act constitutes a criminal offence
under Hungarian law.
(2) Hungarian criminal law shall apply to
a) acts committed by persons other than Hungarian nationals abroad if the act
aa) constitutes a criminal offence under Hungarian law and is also punishable under the law
of the place where it was committed,
1
Contact: eu-forditas@im.gov.hu