24news team
A proposed law currently under development aims to protect children from rapists and address lenient sentencing by introducing chemical castration for convicted individuals as a condition for release from prison.
Democratic Alignment (DEPA) MP Michalis Yakoumi, who is spearheading the proposal, cited a disturbing example on Sigma TV: "The state placed a child with a couple, and the child was subsequently raped. The perpetrator received only a 13-year prison sentence and could be released on parole after 5-6 years."
Yakoumi emphasized, "Parliamentary studies show that child rapists often re-offend. If life imprisonment is not imposed, this additional penalty is necessary to prevent further crimes and the devastation of another child's life. It's unacceptable for them to serve such short sentences and be released without strict restrictions."
The hidden problem
Yakoumi also highlighted the unreported cases, asking, "How many other cases go unspoken, where the child is too afraid, or where families conceal the truth?"
He noted that Parliament's research indicates Cyprus has some of the lowest sentences in the EU. He explained that other European countries use voluntary chemical castration, combined with electronic monitoring, as a condition for early release, preventing further biological sexual offenses against children.
Overcrowded prisons and new measures
The Minister of Health has stated that convicted sex offenders are monitored. The Minister of Justice has confirmed that the prison wing for child rapists is nearly at capacity, with almost one hundred inmates and a growing trend.
Beyond chemical castration, the proposed legislation includes electronic tagging for those serving part of their sentence at home, prohibitions on approaching schools, mandatory reporting to police, and authorization for supervisors to inform the convicted person's partner of their criminal history.
"These individuals must be closely monitored regarding their activities and associations," Yakoumi concluded.
