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Russian Lawmakers Move To Toughen Pedophilia Law

October 4th, 2011
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MOSCOW—Russian lawmakers on Tuesday gave first-round approval to a bill that strengthens punishments for pedophilia, including imposing mandatory chemical castration or life sentences in cases that involve repeated offenses.

The lower house, or State Duma, unanimously passed President Dmitry Medvedev’s bill in the first of three required readings. The bill also needs approval by the upper house and Medvedev’s signature. Report by BostonGlobe.com.

It imposes chemical castration for sexual crimes against minors younger than 14 by those with a previous pedophilia conviction. The procedure of chemical castration involves the administration of testosterone-suppressing hormones intended to curb sexual drive.

In Europe, Britain, Denmark and Sweden offer chemical castration drugs to sex offenders to control sexual urges on a voluntary basis. In the United States, several states including Louisiana, California, Oregon and Arizona have laws allowing chemical castration.

The law also envisages a life sentence for repeated offenders. Existing law allows for a sentence of 20 years for second-time offenders.

It bill also said that convicted pedophiles can be released on parole only after serving four-fifths of their sentence — or apply for an earlier release only after volunteering for a chemical castration. Under existing law, convicts can apply for a release on parole after serving two-thirds of their sentence.

A lawmaker with the ruling United Russia party said the law follows an increase in the number of crimes against minors.

“In the past 10 years the number of pedophiles in our country rose three- or fourfold,” Tatyana Yakovleva told the Interfax news agency.

In 2010, almost 7,600 people have been convicted for sexual crimes against persons below 16, according to Internal Affairs Ministry statistics

Tammy Russia, Sex Offenders

Russian President Wants Prison Reforms

February 12th, 2009
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russia-prisonAccording to Reuters, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday ordered his officials to reform a prison system that is chronically overcrowded with inmates who are mostly ill or serving harsh sentences for minor offences.

Decades after the Soviet Union’s Gulag prison camps were abolished, Russia still has a vast network of penal institutions housing nearly 900,000 prisoners — the world’s second highest rate relative to the population after the United States.

Medvedev is a former corporate lawyer who has spoken often about the need to respect human rights since he took over the presidency from former KGB officer Vladimir Putin last year, though campaigners say they have yet to see real change.  The Russian leader chaired a meeting with senior officials from the prison service after visiting a penal colony for young offenders in the Vologda region, north west of Moscow.  “We should be able to achieve the necessary level of humanity in the prisons system, an improvement in the conditions for those who are held there and bring … this system into line with international standards,” he said in televised remarks.

Prison reform campaigners say huge numbers of Russian inmates are suffering from tuberculosis and other illnesses related to poor living conditions and inadequate medical care. They say that many people — in particular young offenders and women — are given lengthy prison terms for minor offences which could be punished with non-custodial sentences, and too few people are granted bail before their trial.  Campaigners also say the penal system is failing to rehabilitate prisoners: official figures show that nearly half of inmates have already been in prison at least once before.

Medvedev said possible changes could include encouraging courts to impose lesser punishments for minor offences, locking up fewer people before trial and helping released prisoners adapt to life outside jail.  “Conditions in penal institutions … should be acceptable and civilised. And those who have served their sentence should be ready to return to a full and normal life,” said Medvedev.

vericatrajkova Europe, INTERNATIONAL, Inmate Health, Russia

Daily Sweep 080312

March 12th, 2008
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vericatrajkova AR Washington County, CA Monterey County, CA Santa Clara County, California, Electronic Monitoring, Re-Entry, Russia, South Africa