A court in Madagascar has ordered the country’s first surgical castration of a convicted paedophile, one year after a controversial law allowing the punishment was passed.
The man was convicted of raping and attempting to murder a six-year-old girl in the town of Imerintsiatosika in 2024. He was sentenced to life in prison with hard labour and will now undergo irreversible surgical castration.
The decision was confirmed by Attorney General Didier Razafindralambo on Thursday. In a video released by the Ministry of Justice, he described the ruling as a “strong and significant response” aimed at deterring future offenders.
The law, approved in 2024 by Madagascar’s upper house of Parliament, allows for surgical castration in cases involving the rape of children under 10. For those convicted of raping children between the ages of 10 and 13, either surgical or chemical castration can be applied. Chemical castration—using drugs to suppress sexual urges—may also be used for those who attack minors aged 14 to 17.
Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, and Justice Minister, Landy Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa, strongly supported the change. “The current penal code has not been enough,” the minister said. “The younger the child, the greater the punishment.”
According to official data, at least 600 cases of child rape were reported in 2023.
While some rights groups have supported the new measures, others have raised concerns. Amnesty International’s Madagascar advisor, Nciko wa Nciko, said there are worries about the country’s justice system, including corruption, lack of anonymity in trials, and the potential for wrongful convictions.
However, advocacy groups like Women Break the Silence have welcomed the law, saying it may serve as an effective deterrent.
Madagascar joins several countries and U.S. states—including Alabama and California—that have adopted chemical or surgical castration for sex crimes against minors.
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