Page last updated at 14:51 GMT, Friday, 25 September 2009 15:51 UK

Poland backs chemical castration

Prisoner in silhouette
Parliament has toughened sanctions against all sorts of sexual offences

Polish MPs have passed legislation making it obligatory to chemically castrate certain sex offenders.

Under the law anyone found guilty of raping children under 15, or close relatives, will be given drugs to lower their sex drive.

All but three MPs present in the lower house voted for the measures.

They were part of a bill that also increases jail terms for incest and paedophilia, and criminalises any attempt to justify paedophilia.

Anyone propagating such a view is subject to a prison term of up to two years.

The same sentence will be applicable to anyone attempting to seduce a child under 15 years of age over the internet.

The legislation must still pass the senate before taking effect.

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