Myanmar lawmakers call for severe sentence for child rape cases

YANGON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar lawmakers have called for drafting a special bill which can impose the death sentence for child rape cases in order to deter child sexual abuse, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Saturday.

Debating at a session of the House of Representatives (Lower House) Friday, parliamentarian Daw Khin Saw Wai from Yathedaung constituency in Rakhine state warned that an increase in the number of child rape cases has threatened the morality and culture of Myanmar society, pointing out that the number of such cases has spiralled upward year by year with nearly 2,000 cases over the past two years.

She quoted the Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement as saying that the ministry was making efforts to allow a 10-year sentence for child rape conviction. The ministry is redrawing the 1993 Child Law and the issue of giving heavy penalties to child sex abuse should be brought to the parliament, she added.

Meanwhile, the House of Nationalities (Upper House) has accepted the motion for discussion. Enditem