Article 216 — Principle and Effect.

(1) Unless otherwise provided by law, in all criminal cases the prosecution and the criminal action shall be barred and may no longer be instituted or brought upon the expiration of the legal period of time stated below. Limitation extinguishes the liability to punishment in respect to any of the participants. As soon as the limitation period has elapsed neither a conviction nor penalties or measures may be pronounced. (2) Even where .the defendant fails to raise the barring of the charge by a period of limitation the Court or the Prosecutor shall, at any time, consider the barring of the charge by limitation.