Colombian Congressmen
Demand Life Imprisonment
For Abusing Children
The Colombian Public
Ministry and congressmen
on Wednesday began a
signing marathon
campaign to collect
signatures to convoke a
referendum in a bid to
establish penal
servitude for life for
crimes of abusing
children.
The promoters will have
to collect 2 million
signatures in order to
make it possible to call
a referendum.
They said they will also
try to make this law
applicable to crimes of
homicides, sexual
exploitation, severe
maltreatment and child
kidnapping.
Colombian General
Prosecutor Mario Iguaran
has appealed for support
for this initiative
known as the "Firmaton"
among the public in
several cities.
Every year in the
country, 1 million
children fell victim to
various crimes, and
850,000 of them suffered
physical abuse and about
200,000 sexual abuse,
the Colombian
authorities said.
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