Island nation’s justice minister said the new law was necessary because of an increase in rape of children
TELEGRAPH
Madagascar’s parliament has passed a law that would punish paedophiles with surgical castration.
The law drew criticism from international rights groups but won backing from some local activists who say it is necessary to deter a “rape culture”.
The island nation’s upper house of parliament approved the legislation last week.
It must now be ratified by the High Constitutional Court and signed into law by president Andry Rajoelina, whose government proposed the change.
Landy Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa, the justice minister, said the measure was necessary because of an increase in rape against children.
There were 600 cases of child rape recorded in 2023, she said, and 133 already in January this year.
“The current penal code has not been enough to curb the perpetrators of these offences,” she said.
The new law says surgical castration “will always be pronounced” for those guilty of raping a child under the age of 10.
Cases of rape against children between the ages of 10 and 13 will be punished by either surgical or chemical castration.
The rape of minors aged between 14 and 17 will be punished by chemical castration. Offenders will also face sterner sentences of up to life in prison.
Chemical castration is the use of drugs to block hormones and decrease sexual desire. It is generally reversible by stopping the drugs. Surgical castration is irreversible.
Several countries and some states in America, including California and Florida, allow for chemical castration for some sex offenders. Surgical castration as a punishment is much rarer. The use of both is highly contentious.
Amnesty International said the punishment would amount to “inhuman and degrading treatment” inconsistent with Madagascar’s constitutional laws and failed to address serious flaws in the investigation of rapes.
