Saudi scholar advises sex abusers to undergo castration

Sexual predators with prior criminal records who fear they might assault women and children again can opt for chemical castration if they really wished to repent, said a former professor of Islamic Shariah law.

“In order to not hurt others and himself and also to avoid any legal actions, the sex abuser should resort to this method as the last resort,” said Saud al-Fenaisan, who was dean of the School of Shariah at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University.

Legally speaking, anyone found guilty of engaging in sexual abuse of women and children should be executed because in Shariah this person is regarded as someone who spreads corruption in society, Makkah daily quoted al-Fenaisan as saying. However, a judge cannot order him to undergo chemical castration.

The abuser should consider this option if he cannot control himself because it will kill his libido and prevent him from engaging in such criminal activities again.

Dr. Majid al-Issa, deputy director of the National Family Safety Program, said a sex abuser should first be treated through an intensive psychological rehabilitation program. Punishment as an option should come last. If the program has not succeeded in rehabilitating the abuser, chemical castration should be considered. “A sex abuser should not be released and sent back to society.”

Only a judge can include this form of punishment in the list of discretionary punishment.

Khadran al-Zahrani, criminal lawyer, said no chemical castration case has been registered against any sex abuser in courts. Even if a judge orders such punishment, the Court of Appeals would not endorse it unless there are strong legal grounds, he said.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on Feb. 27, 2014.