Фото: Reform.by
The Petrykau District Court has upheld a prosecutor’s claim and ordered a foreign citizen to pay more than 162,000 rubles (about $54,000) in damages for illegally killing a bison.
The Prosecutor General’s Office said that in December 2015, the man took part in a hunting tour in Prypyatsky National Park. During a driven hunt, he illegally killed a bison that was not listed on his hunting permit.
Criminal proceedings were opened against the hunter on charges of illegal hunting resulting in exceptionally large-scale damage. In January 2016, the Petrykau district prosecutor filed a claim seeking payment to the national park equal to five times the cost of a permit to hunt a bison. The claim amounted to 80,000 euros at the National Bank’s exchange rate.
In 2017, the criminal case was transferred to Russia for further investigation. In 2020, the criminal prosecution was terminated due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. As the damage had not been compensated, the prosecutor filed a civil claim with the court in 2021. After the redenomination, the claim amounted to more than 162,000 rubles.
The defendant was notified of the court hearing but did not attend. In a written statement, he said he disagreed with the claim.
The court upheld the prosecutor’s claim in full. The defendant was also ordered to pay more than 8,100 rubles in court fees to the state.
The ruling has not yet entered into force.