Ukraines parliament has passed a set of new laws which will see convicted paedophiles be forcibly castrated.
Chemical anti-androgen injections will be given to men convicted of serious sex offences against children.
Initially the bill only included voluntary castration, increased prison sentences and a closed paedophile register.
But at the last minute, a parliamentary sub-committee adopted an alternative proposal put forward by Radical Party leader Oleh Lyashko.
He said: Ukrainian law does not have a life term or death penalty for sex crimes against children.
And it is very unlikely that the rapist would not be back to his “business” again after release from jail.
The bill, which includes a public sex offenders register being introduced, passed in just two readings with support from 247 votes – a majority of 21.
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It is thought the laws will prove to be popular among voters ahead of a general election which is being held today.
The new laws were introduced following a spate of attacks on young children this week alone.
National police Chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said: Five children were raped in four regions of Ukraine within just 24 hours.
And these are the crimes which parents reported to police despite their fear and anxiety to do so.
We can only guess how many latent sexual crimes against children we have in the country.
In one horrific case in the country, Daria Lukyanenko, 11, was killed after she tried to fight back against her attacker.
Her body was found in a cesspool six days later.
Family friend Nikolay Tarasov, 22, was later arrested and admitted to the attempt and rape of the little girl.
The new law has been heavily criticised by politicians and medical professionals, with some likening it to torture.
Anna Maliar, a criminologist who wrote the original bill, said that many MPs did not know what they were voting for.
METRO
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