Criminal Code

Marginal note:Hostage taking

• 279.1 (1) Every one takes a person hostage who

  • (a) confines, imprisons, forcibly seizes or detains that person, and

  • (b) in any manner utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat that the death of, or bodily harm to, the hostage will be caused or that the confinement, imprisonment or detention of the hostage will be continued

  with intent to induce any person, other than the hostage, or any group of persons or any state or international or intergovernmental organization to commit or cause to be committed any act or omission as a condition, whether express or implied, of the release of the hostage.

• Marginal note:Hostage-taking

  (2) Every person who takes a person hostage is guilty of an indictable offence and liable

  • (a) where a firearm is used in the commission of the offence, to imprisonment for life and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of four years; and

  • (b) in any other case, to imprisonment for life.

• Marginal note:Non-resistance

  (3) Subsection 279(3) applies to proceedings under this section as if the offence under this section were an offence under section 279.