Apstrakt: Sva krivična zakonodavstva, od najstarijih vremena do današnjih dana u strukturi krivičnih djela na prvom mjestu štite život i tjelesni integritet. To je i razumljivo jer bez ljudi nema ni društva, pa je osnovni preduslov opstanka i razvoja društva obezbjeđenje adekvatne zaštite njegovih članova. Zaštita života i tijela je zagarantovana, naravno, i nizom međunarodnih pravnih akata, univerzalnog i regionalnog karaktera. Život i tijelo se štite ne samo od povreda, već i od ugrožavanja svih vrsta, dakle stvaranja opasnosti da dođe do povrede ili narušavanja života ili tjelesnog (fizičkog) integriteta.
U strukturi ovih krivičnih djela, po svom značaju, prirodi, karakteristikama i svojstvima njihovih učinilaca posebno se izdvajaju krivična djela ugrožavanja života i tijela, a među njima krivično djelo učestvovanja u tuči. Tuča je fizički obračun dva ili više lica, povezana je sa nizom drugih krivičnih djela, ali i sa prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira. Upravo o pojmu, elementima i karakteristikama ovog krivičnog djela i načinu njegovog razgraničenja od sličnih kažnjivih delikata govori ovaj rad.
Ključne riječi: zakon, krivično djelo, život, tjelesni integritet, tuča, više lica.
Summary: all criminal laws, from ancient times to present day in the structure of a criminal act foremostly protect life and bodily integrity. That is understandable, knowing the society would not exist without people, thence the basic precondition for survival and development of the society is providing adequate protection of its members. The protection of life and limb is additionaly warranted by a series of international legal acts of universal and regional character. Life and limb are not solely protected against injuries, but also against jeopardy of any sort, that is creating the threat of possible injury or infringement of life or bodily (physical) integrity.
In the structure of these criminal acts, according to its significance, nature, characteristics, and attributes of their perpetrators, we can especially isolate criminal acts of infringement of life and limb, and among them a criminal act of involvement in a battery. A battery is a physical confrontation of two or more individuals, its linked to a number of other criminal acts, but also to a tort of disturbance of peace. Its the scope, elements and characteristics of this type of criminal act and the method of its distinction from other punitive acts that this paper shall tackle.
Key Words: Act, criminal offence, life, physical integrity, battery, several individuals