A hit may be classified differently depending on the consequences produced, the evidence and the circumstances of the act. The difference between the offense of assault or other violence and bodily harm influences the punishment, the manner of referral to the judicial authorities, and the necessary evidence. Below you find the relevant rules of the Criminal Code, including the amendments that came into force in 2025 and 2026.
Assault or other violence: Article 193 of the Criminal Code
Article 193 punishes both hitting or acts of violence that cause physical suffering, as well as the act that causes injuries or affects health, if the severity is assessed at no more than 90 days of medical care. In the form in force as of June 26, 2025, the limits are:
- for acts of violence causing physical suffering: imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years or a fine;
- for injuries or health impairment assessed within 90 days: imprisonment from 1 to 5 years or a fine.
The days of medical care in medico-legal documents are important, but the classification is not determined mechanically just by this number. What matters is the description of the injuries, the causal relationship, the evidence and the form of guilt.
When bodily harm may occur: Art. 194
Article 194 applies when the act produces one of the consequences expressly provided for by law: disability, injuries requiring more than 90 days of medical care, serious and permanent aesthetic harm, abortion or endangering life. The punishment is, in the basic form, imprisonment from 2 to 7 years. If the act was committed with the intent to produce certain serious consequences listed by law, the punishment is from 3 to 10 years.
The framing and consequences are evaluated based on the entire body of evidence, including the medical report and, if necessary, an expert opinion. A certificate is an important piece of evidence, but it does not replace the legal analysis of the case file.
Aggravating circumstances and domestic violence
In Articles 193 and 194, the penalties may be increased by one third in the situations listed by law, such as the act against a minor, committing the act in public or carrying a weapon or a dangerous object. In the cases provided for in Article 193, paragraph (2¹), the criminal action may also be initiated ex officio.
For the act of Article 193 committed against a family member, Article 199 provides for the increase of the special maximum and allows the initiation of criminal proceedings ex officio. Law no. 53/2026 also introduced Article 195¹: it regulates increases for certain acts committed as a form of control or domination in a couple relationship and when a perpetrator commits the act in the presence of a minor. The classification depends on the fulfillment of concrete legal conditions.
What evidence can count
Depending on the case, medical documents, the forensic certificate, photographs, admissible recordings, messages, 112 calls, witness statements and surveillance camera footage may be relevant. Note down the dates and locations as quickly as possible, identify the witnesses and keep the original files. Request the preservation of the video footage before it is automatically deleted.
Pre-trial complaint and time limit
As a rule, for the acts provided for in Article 193, a preliminary complaint is required, which must be submitted within the legal deadline of 3 months from the date the injured person learned about the commission of the act. There are exceptions, including situations where the law allows the initiation of criminal prosecution ex officio. It does not mean that withdrawing the complaint automatically closes any case; the consequences depend on the classification and the applicable law.
Consult the Criminal Code in its official form, including Articles 193–195¹ and Article 199, as well as Law no. 116/2025 and Law no. 53/2026. The terms and the timeframe must be verified for the specific situation.
