This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has adopted a law allowing the forcible chemical castration of pedophiles.
The law was passed on July 11 and will come into force a day after being published in the state-run media.
Chemical castration does not involve surgery. It consists of injected drugs that effectively blunt the sex drive for a period of time.
The procedure will not be performed on individuals younger than 18 and older than 65.
Along with forced chemical castration, the new law also envisions up to 15 years in prison for raping minors and up to five years in prison for lurid acts involving minors.
Forced chemical castration of pedophiles is legal in many countries, including Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.
In Russia, a 2012 law allows chemical castration of convicts if they consent to have it.
