Previous to this, Poland had introduced mandatory chemical castration for certain heinous sex offences, and recently Russia has introduced similar legislation. Also this February, Germany was criticized by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for allowing prisoners to opt for chemical castration to reduce sex drives. The Czech Republic also has provisions for mandatory chemical castration under particular circumstances with the applicability determined by courts. In Britain, Sweden, and Denmark convicts of sex offenses are allowed for voluntary chemical castration. Several states in the U.S. too have laws that allow chemical castration.
The new law in Moldova specifically extends the scope of application beyond citizens and includes all foreigners found guilty. The same penalties would also apply to rapists. The new law would become applicable from July 1.
According to reports, this poor European nation had recently become a haven for international sex tourists and five out of nine convictions in child sex offences over the past two years have been foreigners.
While the promoter of the bill, Liberal Party MP Valeriu Munteanu intended to prevent recurrence of offences by pedophiles by the drastic measure of chemical castration, his detractors commented chemical castration is reversible and alternative methods (including physical castration) may be desirable in such cases.
Speaking on the need to include foreigners under the law, Valeriu Munteanu said, “The Republic of Moldova has been transformed in recent years into ‘a tourist destination’ for Western pedophiles and there have been cases where rapists have repeatedly offended even after they served prison time.” He also emphasized that the measure was a consequence of public outrage over multiple cases involving U.S. and West European nationals.
The law, passed by a majority in the Moldova parliament has been immediately criticized by Amnesty International whose members in their line of work come in regular touch with poor and underprivileged children.
Executive Director of Amnesty International Moldova, Cristina Pereteatcu said mandatory chemical castration was “incompatible with human rights, which are the foundation of any civilized democratic society.”
The existence of appellate systems in the judiciary and of watchdogs and commissions underline the constant truth that law enforcement, bureaucracy, and the judiciary can err, and do err quite often. Given the ever present factor of error in human processes, mandatory chemical castration is a questionable measure, given that innocents can and may suffer.