Controversies over life imprisonment for women

Abstract

The relevance of the subject addressed is determined by the amendment of paragraph (3) of Article 71 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova through Law No. 136 of June 6, 2024, which introduced modifications and additions to several articles of the Criminal Code and the Contraventional Code of the Republic of Moldova. The importance of this study lies in understanding the institution of life imprisonment in the context of its applicability to women, from a multifaceted perspective, based on national and international legal norms in the field. It also emphasizes a concrete analysis of the relevant provisions regarding women's rights, as influenced by the mentioned amendments. The application of life imprisonment to women is a sensitive subject that necessitates a multidimensional approach. This is because the execution stage essentially represents a decisive element in the correction of the convicted individual, particularly when life imprisonment for this category constitutes a novelty in criminal law. Until now, the provisions of Article 71 of the Criminal Code did not allow the application of life imprisonment for exceptionally serious crimes committed by women, even though such crimes were often heinous. Thus, the new amendments introduced to the Criminal Code by Law No. 136 of June 6, 2024, have brought significant changes, allowing for the application of life imprisonment to women who commit exceptionally serious crimes.