Sinica proposes chemical castration as parole condition

Seimas member Vytautas Sinica has proposed allowing voluntary chemical castration for people convicted of sexual offences against children as a condition of parole, LRT reported.

Sinica registered amendments to Lithuania’s Code of the Execution of Sentences after the Constitutional Court’s ruling in June. He said the ruling, which requires the state to allow parole for people convicted of sexual offences against children, created a difficult situation because serving a sentence does not remove a disturbed sexual drive or eliminate the threat to society in many such cases.

According to Sinica, similar measures are used under different procedures in Poland, Estonia, Germany, the United Kingdom and other countries. He described chemical castration as medication to suppress sexual desire.

Under his proposal, parole would not be available to people serving sentences for crimes against a minor’s sexual freedom or inviolability, unless the convicted person voluntarily agreed to chemical castration. The health minister would establish the conditions and procedure for carrying out the treatment.

Sinica said additional measures were needed to protect public safety when such prisoners are released on parole. He argued that overly lenient sentences or release from prison too easily could lead to repeat offences.

Constitutional Court ruling

On June 11, the Constitutional Court ruled that the absolute ban on parole for people convicted of sexual offences against minors was unconstitutional. The court said the existing regulation did not allow each prisoner’s circumstances to be assessed individually or a decision to be made on whether parole was appropriate in a particular case.

At the same time, the court stressed the need to ensure adequate protection for minors from people previously convicted of the same or similar crimes.

The ruling followed an individual complaint by former youth mentor Remigijus Jakštys, who had served a prison sentence for the sexual exploitation of teenagers. He sought to have parole made available to him and others convicted of similar offences.

The court noted that people imprisoned for crimes against a minor’s sexual freedom or inviolability were also denied an individual assessment, probation and the opportunity to comply with parole restrictions intended to reduce reoffending.

ELTA reported last week that the Prosecutor General’s Office had referred to court a criminal case against a Roman Catholic priest who worked in the Vilnius Archdiocese and is accused of sexual offences against minors. The charges involve 34 alleged criminal episodes, including child sexual abuse, possession of pornographic material and involving children in drinking. The case has 11 victims, who were between 12 and 18 years old at the time of the alleged offences.