Amnesty International Moldova welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Court to declare the forced chemical castration of persons convicted of rape unconstitutional. According to the organization, the given decision harmonizes the national legislation with the UN Convention against Torture, the European Convention on Human Rights, ratified by Moldova, and the supreme law of the state, IPN reports.

According to a communiqué from Amnesty International Moldova, in a state with the rule of law the lawmakers must not undermine the basic right to physical and mental inviolability, which is the right not to be tortured and ill-treated in any form. The international agreements on human rights ban the use of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment and the Constitution of Moldova subscribes to this.

Amnesty International Moldova executive director Cristina Pereteatcu said that though many consider that the forced chemical castration is a correct punishment, it is yet incompatible with the provisions on the human rights. The solutions must not be identified speculating on emotions and lack of information.

“It is regrettable that sometimes the idea of identifying the causes and measures of preventing crimes  - by education, counseling and the concerted effort of psychologists, psychiatrists and employees of the education, health and legal sectors – is ignored. Moreover, according to international statistics, most of the pedophiles castrated chemically become recidivists and this is a reversible process,” said Cristina Pereteatcu. Amnesty International Moldova calls on society to strengthen efforts and identify long-term solutions to the problems encountered in the area of human rights.