Madagascar’s parliament approved a new law that will allow surgical castration of convicted pedophiles.

“On February 2 Madagascar’s parliament, The National Assembly, approved a law which legalised the castration of child rapists,” Daily Mail reports.

Under a previous law, convicted child rapists would face five to 20 years of forced labor.

The new law permits those convicted of raping a child under ten-years-old to surgical castration.

If the victim is between ten and 13-years-old, the convicted pedophile would face chemical castration and 15 to 20 years of forced labor.

Daily Mail reports:

Minister of Justice Landy Randriamanantenasoa spoke in favour of the bill. Le Quotidien, a French language newspaper, reported that Ms Randriamanantenasoa said: ‘Society must know what they did and who they are.’

The bill was proposed by the President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, last month and was one of his key campaign promises during his re-election bid last year.

International organisations have criticised the new law. The BBC reports that in a statement, Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director for east and southern Africa, said: ‘In Madagascar, rape cases remain under-reported, and perpetrators often go free due to the victims’ and their families’ fear of retaliation, stigmatisation, and a lack of trust in the judicial system.

‘Implementing chemical and surgical castration, which constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as a punishment for those found guilty of raping minors will not solve this and is inconsistent with Malagasy constitutional provisions against torture and other ill-treatment, as well as regional and international human rights standards.’

Ms Randriamanantenasoa has rebuked similar criticism about respect for human rights by saying Madagascar is a sovereign country.

Madagascar’s new law follows reports of a new draft law in Kazakhstan that would seek surgical castration of convicted pedophiles.

Country Proposes Law To Surgically Remove Genitals Of Pedophiles, Chemical Castration Reportedly Not Severe Enough

MPs reportedly have complained the system of chemical castration is not deterring child sex offenders.

Elnur Beisenbaev, executive secretary of Kazakhstan’s ruling Аманат party, reportedly said the government was ‘spineless’ for failing to insist on surgical castration.

Per Daily Mail:

‘Unfortunately, [sex crimes against children] are happening more and more often,’ he said, suggesting chemical castration – which lowers the male libido through injected anti-androgen drugs – was not effective.

‘By letting a rapist go free, we allow them to reoffend,’ he added.

‘This is evidenced by the death of little Erkizhan in Saryagash.’

Erkezhan Nurmakhan, five, was lured to a paedophile’s house after he offered her money for an ice cream.

Killer Saidolim Gayibnazarov, 48, who had previous convictions, was sentenced to life in jail and chemical castration.

‘The government says our amendment for surgical castration of paedophiles violates human rights,’ said the MP, a father of four, who intends to keep pressing for the new law.

‘We don’t suggest applying it to all paedophiles, but we’d like to give courts an option of having surgical castration.

‘If a paedophile attack is especially cruel, I believe surgical castration must be applied…

‘There were about 430 crimes of this kind committed against our children lately.

‘Our government demonstrates its lack of backbone by not approving surgical castration, as if we violate the rights of paedophiles, because paedophiles are human beings.

‘I believe they are not human beings.’

 

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