Press Releases

6. 2. 200913:42

Treatment of patients with undesirable sexual behaviours

If the effect is proved be comparable (and I wish to underline this), we will promote more human chemical treatment of patients with undesirable sexual behaviours.

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CTP) called the Czech Republic to immediately stop the application of surgical castrations used as a part of the treatment of sexual offenders. In October 2008 the Czech Government accepted the opinion of the Ministry of Health and the Government Council for Human Rights on this call, based on the bill on Specific Medical Services.

Its part relating to castrations was produced jointly by the experts from the office of the Minister of Health and the Minister for Human Rights Džamila Stehlíková. This act provides a high degree of protection for each patient with a predisposition to undesirable sexual behaviour. The patient must be fully informed on the consequences of castration; he must request it in written form and the surgery must be approved by the expert commission and by the court. The Medical Services Act is now being discussed by the Chamber of Deputies.

The Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, Michael Kocáb, and his Deputy Minister, Jana Koláčková, explained today the opinion of their office on castrations carried out in Czech prisons and medical institutions.

Deputy Minister Jana Koláčková partly revealed the reasons for application of „traumatic“ methods on patients in Czech prisons and medical institutions. She believes the reason may lie in the traditions of Czech psychiatry and also in the high financial costs of treatment by chemical preparations, the so called androgens. „This procedure is in terms of human rights unacceptable," said Koláčková.

Minister Kocáb will continue to discuss these issues with the Minister of Health. „When reviewing this issue we must take into account primarily the rights of the victims. However, it has been proved that surgical castration is not a final solution of sexually violent behaviour. If the surgery causes a trauma for the patient, which may result in continued violent behaviour, we may also consider another treatment method,“ said Kocáb. The Minister also welcomed the recommendation of CPT as a starting point to open a discussion on treatment of patients with dangerous sexual deviations in the Czech Republic. If the two methods are proved to be as effective (and I wish to underline this), I will propose the application of chemical treatment which does not result in an irreversible disabling of patients,“ added the Minister.

Michael Kocáb

Minister for Human Rights and Minorities

Jana Koláčková

Deputy Minister