Duma Passes Pedophile Castration Bill

A bill toughening penalties for pedophiles, including life sentences and chemical castration, passed the third and final reading in the State Duma on Tuesday.

Under the bill, child sexual abusers are not eligible for parole and repeat offenders will face life sentences.

The bill has yet to be approved by the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, before it is signed into law by the president.

Chemical castration of pedophiles is used in several countries such as Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Poland, as well as in some U.S. states.

Some politicians and advocacy groups claim that liberal laws and lenient courts enable too many offenders to escape punishment or to return to molesting children after serving only brief prison sentences.