Corpun file 24780 at www.corpun.com

Colombo Gazette, 29 September 2013

Public caning to be proposed

By Indika Sri Aravinda

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With an increase seen in the number of child abuse and rape incidents the Ministry of Child Development and Women's Affairs says it is looking at proposing caning in public for those charged for such crimes.

The Minister Child Development and Women's Affairs Tissa Karaliyadda said that Sri Lanka has seen a drastic increase in reports of child abuse and rape.

He said that on earlier occasions he had called for tougher laws to curb the trend but the issue had taken a back seat.

The Minister said that initially it was proposed that the death sentence or life in prison be given to rapists.

However as implementing the death sentence is a sensitive issue the Minister is now proposing caning in public.

He says the proposal will be presented to parliament and the Justice Ministry.

Meanwhile Minister Karaliyadda also said that regulations will be proposed on media publicity with regards to rape.

He accused the media of crossing the line when reporting on such incidents and as such new laws are required to place a cap on such reporting.

NOTE BY C.F.: The illustration used by the Colombo Gazette is actually this one from Pakistan.