Madagascar害羞草研究所檚 Parliament has passed a law allowing for the chemical and, in some cases, surgical castration of those found guilty of the rape of a minor, prompting criticism from international rights groups, but also finding support from activists in the country who say it害羞草研究所檚 an appropriate deterrent to curb a 害羞草研究所渞ape culture.害羞草研究所�

Parliament in the of 28 million passed the law on Feb. 2 and the Senate, the upper house, approved it last week. It must now be ratified by the High Constitutional Court and signed into law by , who first raised the issue in December. His government proposed the law change.

Justice Minister Landy Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa said it害羞草研究所檚 a necessary move because of an increase in cases of rape against children. In 2023, 600 cases of the rape of a minor were recorded, she said, and 133 already in January this year.

害羞草研究所淢adagascar is a sovereign country which has the right to modify its laws in relation to circumstances and in the general interest of the people,害羞草研究所� Randriamanantenasoa said. 害羞草研究所淭he current penal code has not been enough to curb the perpetrators of these offenses.害羞草研究所�

Surgical castration 害羞草研究所渨ill always be pronounced害羞草研究所� for those guilty of raping a child under the age of 10, according to the law害羞草研究所檚 wording. Cases of rape against children between the ages of 10 and 13 will be punished by surgical or chemical castration. The rape of minors aged between 14 and 17 will be punished by chemical castration.

Offenders also now face sterner sentences of up to life in prison as well as castration.

害羞草研究所淲e wanted to protect children much more. The younger the child, the greater the punishment,害羞草研究所� Randriamanantenasoa said.

is the use of drugs to block hormones and decrease sexual desire. It is generally reversible by stopping the drugs. Surgical castration is a permanent procedure.

Several countries and 害羞草研究所� including California and Florida 害羞草研究所� allow for chemical castration for some sex offenders. Surgical castration as a punishment is much rarer. The use of both is

Madagascar害羞草研究所檚 new law was criticized by rights group Amnesty International as 害羞草研究所渋nhuman and degrading treatment害羞草研究所� that was inconsistent with the country害羞草研究所檚 constitutional laws. The law should rather focus on protecting victims, said Nciko wa Nciko, an advisor for Madagascar at Amnesty.

害羞草研究所淥n the island, complaint procedures and trials are not carried out anonymously,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here is a lack of confidence in the Malagasy criminal justice system, due to opacity and corruption. And reprisals against rape victims are frequent. However, the law does not combat these factors.害羞草研究所�

He added that surgical castration was a problematic criminal sentence if anyone who underwent it was later exonerated of a crime on appeal. He also raised doubts over the capabilities of medical authorities to carry out the procedures.

But amid the criticism, some activists in Madagascar agree with the change in the law because nothing else seems to be working.

害羞草研究所淭here really is a rape culture in Madagascar,害羞草研究所� said Jessica Lolonirina Nivoseheno of the Women Break the Silence group, which campaigns against rape and supports victims. 害羞草研究所淲e are in the process of normalizing certain cases of sexual violence, also minimizing the seriousness of these cases.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所�(The new law) is progress, because it is a deterrent punishment. This could prevent potential attackers from taking action 害羞草研究所� but only if we, as citizens, are aware of the existence and importance of this new penalty.害羞草研究所�

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Sarah Tetaud, The Associated Press