Moral Law as Revised in 2009

Brief Description

In 2009, the moral law was revised in accordance with the following conventions:

• Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
• United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, including the Protocol regarding the prevention, elimination and punishment of trafficking in persons, in particular women and children; and
• Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime.

Rape is penalized under article 295 of the Penal Code. Rape within marriage is penalized under the amended definition, which deleted the words “buiten echt” (beyond marriage). The article is now gender-neutral and, as such, rape of males can also be penalized.