A Russian State Duma committee has recommended that the State Duma reject a bill proposing the mandatory chemical castration of pedophiles who commit serious crimes, the TASS news agency reported Monday.
The Duma committee recommended the bill be rejected because a provision was introduced to federal law in 2012 that grants voluntary “medical measures” against those who commit sexual crimes against minors, committee member Rafael Mardanshin said, TASS reported.
Under such a provision, convicted pedophiles can accept chemical castration in exchange for a reduced prison sentence.
Senator Anton Belyakov introduced the bill which proposed the mandatory chemical castration of pedophiles who commit serious crimes, such as raping children under the age of 14.
According to Belyakov's bill, in the case of less serious crimes such as molestation, the necessity of chemical castration would have to be determined by the court, which would base its decision on the results of medical and psychiatric evaluations.
The bill proposed financing the measure using private funds, since the government had previously said the budget lacked the necessary money to implement it.
The 2012 law provision is rarely implemented in Russia because of a lack of funds.
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