Madagascar’s senate approved a bill authorizing chemical and surgical castration Wednesday after it had been voted through by their National Assembly earlier this month - per Barron’s citing AFP.

Amnesty International described the law as “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” and urged authorities to repeal the decision.

Madagascar’s Justice Minister Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa, speaking to AFP, said that Madagascar "is a sovereign country that has every right to amend its laws.” She added, “faced with the resurgence of rape, we had to act.”

The bill punishes with surgical castration any perpetrators of rape against a child under the age of 10.