Pakistan has adopted new measures that will see sex-offenders chemically castrated in what they claim is an attempt to stop re-offending. It also says that it will bring in brisk trials and swift justice, leading many to worry that miscarriages of justice could take place that can not later be rectified.
Known as 'The Anti-Rape Ordinance' the law was signed in by Pakistani President Arif Alvi.
The new law will seek to complete all sex-offence trials in just four months and will also build a sex-offence registry for the first time in the country.
Chemical castration involves individuals being given a cocktail of drugs that lowers testosterone. It is claimed that those taking such drugs are less likely to have the urge to commit a sex-offence or for them to carry out a sex-offence, though some experts dispute the effectiveness of such medical procedures.
The option of chemical castration is ,in fact, a mild punishment compared to what the Pakistani leadership originally said they would like to happen. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan told a news show in September that he believed rapists should be publicly hanged. He said:
"I think he (the rapist) should be hanged publicly. Rapists and child molesters should have public hanging. You do not know the real statistics as well, because it's under-reported. People do not report it due to being scared or ashamed, women are ashamed, no one wants to tell."
Khan however accepted that such actions, such as public hanging, would go against international human-rights laws and could potentially endanger Pakistan's relationship with its Western allies.
A previous attempt to have the law changed to favour the hanging of sex-offenders was roundly condemned by human-rights groups and NGO leaders. It was also opposed by some of those within the Pakistani government itself. Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, condemned the hanging bill, saying:
"[I] Strongly condemn this resolution. This is just another grave act in line with brutal civilisation practices [sic]. Societies [should] act in a balanced way, [barbarity] is not an answer to crimes. This is another expression of extremism."
Strongly condemn this resolution this is just another grave act in line with brutal civilisation practices, societies act in a balanced way barberiaism is not answer to crimes...... this is another expression of extremism pic.twitter.com/ye2abes8Dc
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 7, 2020
Chemical castration is used in many countries around the world, including the United States. Nine states in total, including, California, Florida, Iowa, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, and Alabama, use chemical castration as part of the criminal justice system.
The recent moves by Pakistan to impose harsh punishments, comes on the back of a series of sex-attacks in the country that shocked the public, including one incident where a woman was dragged from her car in-front of her children and brutally raped by several men.
COMMENTS