A man was given 16 years in prison for the rape of a 12-year-old minor. He forcibly had sexual intercourse with the girl who was his sister's neighbor, IPN reports.

According to prosecutors, the 29-year-old man committed the rape in January 2024, while he was at his sister's house in a locality in northern Moldova.

The defendant did not admit his guilt, but the court found him guilty, sentencing him to 16 years behind bars. He will serve his sentence in a closed prison.

The Prosecutor's Office warns that any sexual manifestations against a person who has not reached the age of 16 is punished criminally.