In a landmark ruling that has drawn both praise and controversy, a Madagascar court has sentenced a convicted child rapist to surgical castration, marking the first enforcement of a tough new law aimed at deterring sexual violence against minors. The ruling, issued in mid-July by a court in Antananarivo, comes just months after the country’s parliament passed legislation authorizing chemical or surgical castration for adults convicted of raping children under the age of 10.
The case involved a 37-year-old man found guilty of raping a 9-year-old girl in a rural village earlier this year. The court opted for surgical rather than chemical castration, citing the severity and premeditation of the crime. Human rights groups in Madagascar are sharply divided: some applaud the move as long-overdue justice in a country plagued by rising child abuse cases, while others—including Amnesty International—warn that such punishments may violate international human rights norms and could amount to cruel and inhumane treatment. The ruling is expected to set a powerful precedent and spark renewed legal and ethical debate across the African continent.
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