Murder (French law)

In the French penal code, murder is defined by the intentional killing of another person. Murder is punishable by a maximum of 30 years of criminal imprisonment (no more than 20 years if the defendant is not sentenced to 30 years). Assassination (murder with premeditation) and murder in some special case (if the victim is a child under 15, parents, people with disabilities, police officer etc.) are punished by a jail time up to life imprisonment (no more than 30 years if the defendant is not sentenced to life). In France except for recidivist the minimum sentence in criminal prosecution is one or two year of imprisonment, which may be suspended if the term of the sentence is under 5 years. Manslaughter is punishable by 15 years imprisonment, or 20 years with aggravating circumstances (the same that make a murderer eligible for life in jail).