Indonesia introduces death penalty and chemical castration for paedophiles

Indonesia's president has approved tough new punishments for child sex offenders, including a maximum penalty of death after the brutal gang-rape and murder of a schoolgirl.

Convicted paedophiles could also be chemically castrated and forced to wear electronic monitoring devices following their release from jail under new rules introduced in an emergency decree.

President Joko Widodo said: 'This regulation is intended to overcome the crisis caused by sexual violence against children.
Sexual crimes against children are extraordinary crimes because they threaten the lives of children.'

The presidential decree brings the new punishments immediately into effect, although parliament could overturn it.

Widodo was spurred into action after the murder and gang-rape in April of a 14-year-old girl, Yuyun, who was set upon by a gang of drunken men and boys as she walked home from school in southern Sumatra.

Her battered body was found three days later in woods, tied up and naked. Seven teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were jailed earlier this month for their part in the incident.

The Guardian UK