In a historic ruling, a court in Madagascar has sentenced a man to surgical castration and life imprisonment with hard labour for the rape and attempted murder of a six-year-old girl, marking the first application of the country’s controversial new law targeting sexual crimes against minors.
The case, which occurred in Imerintsiatosika, a municipality west of the capital Antananarivo, has drawn national attention. According to Attorney General Didier Razafindralambo, the harsh sentence reflects the judiciary’s resolve to address rising cases of child rape.
“Today’s decision is a strong and significant response from the justice system, intended also to serve as a warning to anyone with similar malicious intentions,” Razafindralambo stated in an official video released by the Ministry of Justice.
The ruling enforces a 2024 law passed to tackle the increasing number of child rape cases involving victims aged 10 and below. The new legislation includes surgical castration as a legal penalty, in addition to life imprisonment for the most severe offences.
Madagascar now joins a short list of countries that have implemented forms of physical or chemical castration as punishment for sex crimes. While Germany and the Czech Republic have allowed surgical castration with the consent of the accused, Louisiana in the United States recently became the first state to mandate the procedure for certain offenses. Chemical castration, which is reversible, is already in use in places like Poland, South Korea, and several U.S. states, with Britain considering its adoption.
Despite the government’s tough stance, human rights organisations have raised ethical concerns about such practices. Critics argue that these measures may violate human rights and call instead for more survivor-focused responses—emphasizing protection, psychological support, and systemic prevention.
This landmark ruling in Madagascar ignites renewed global debate on justice, deterrence, and the balance between punishment and human rights in addressing sexual violence against children.
