BOOK II
FELONIES AND MISDEMEANOURS AGAINST PERSONS

TITLE I
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND AGAINST PERSONS

SUBTITLE I
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

CHAPTER III
COMMON PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 213-5

Criminal liability for the felonies set out under the present title is imprescriptable, as are the sentences imposed.

PRELIMINARY TITLE
PUBLIC PROSECUTION AND CIVIL ACTION

Article 7
Subject to the provisions of article 213-5 of the Criminal Code, prosecution in felony cases is time-barred by the passing of ten years from the day of the commission of the felony if, during this period, no step in investigation or prosecution was taken.
Where such steps were taken, it is time-barred only after the passing of ten years starting from the last step taken. This applies even in respect of those persons who would not have been affected by this investigation or prosecution step.
The limitation period for the prosecution of the felonies set out in article 706-47 when committed against minors is twenty years, and only starts to run from their coming of age.

Article 8
For misdemeanours, the prosecution limitation period is three complete years; it operates according to the distinctions set out in the previous article.
The limitation period for the prosecution of the misdemeanours set out in article 706-47 and committed against minors is ten years; for the offences set out in articles 222-30 and 227-26, it is twenty years. These limitation periods only start to run from when the victim comes of age.