Physical (Surgical) Castration as Treatment of Male Sex Offenders? Recent developments in legislation in the Czech Republic

In February 2009, the Czech Republic was strongly criticized by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) for continuing to castrate male sex offenders. Despite this criticism, the Czech Republic has continued to carry out the procedure of physical (surgical) castration. According to the CPT, this procedure is a mutilating, irreversible intervention which cannot be considered as a medical necessity in the context of treating sex offenders. Reflecting on some of the aspects of the CPT's criticism, the Czech Parliament passed new legislation in 2011 (Act no. 373/2011 Coll.) to set up stricter rules for the procedure of physical (surgical) castration. Czech authorities nevertheless remain convinced that this procedure remains useful for the treatment of sex offenders.