Amendments to the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan on toughening penalties for violence against children close five loopholes for evading and mitigating liability. Commissioner for Children’s Rights Asel Chynbaeva told on the air of Birinchi Radio.
According to her, the amendments will come into force on August 23. They provide for tougher penalties for crimes against the sexual inviolability of children. They include:
- Rape;
- Violent acts of sexual nature;
- Involving a child in the porn business;
- Depraved actions;
- Involvement of a child in prostitution.
There will no longer be a statute of limitations for these crimes.
The second moment in the elimination of ways to mitigate punishment, according to Asel Chynbaeva, is the lack of an opportunity to reduce the term of imprisonment.
Previously, punishment in the form of imprisonment from 11 to 15 years was envisaged. The norm sounds like this now: punishment in the form of imprisonment for 15 years or life imprisonment. Courts can sentence to life imprisonment for all these crimes.
Asel Chynbaeva
The third point in toughening the law is the ban on amnesty for those convicted of the listed crimes.
According to Asel Chynbaeva, amendments to the Criminal Code eliminate the loophole for avoiding responsibility by recognizing the criminal as mentally ill.
«Treatment in a psychiatric hospital does not abolish full punishment now,» the human rights activist emphasized.
She also named the fifth fundamental point, according to which from now on there will be no provisional release for a crime against the spiritual and moral health of a child.
The President of Kyrgyzstan approved amendments to the Criminal Code, the law on the basics of amnesty and the procedure for its application on August 11 this year.
