Aruba is preparing for child abuse awareness month. Regarding this, Prime Minister Mr. Evelyn Wever Croes held a press conference. In this meeting, the topic of minimum sentencing was brought forward, which many organizations often question why nothing is being done on this point.
The prime minister began by explaining that in 2020, the maximum penalty for these types of crimes was raised. This was to align with the penalties in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “We were lagging behind, and the penalties were the lowest in the Kingdom, but in 2020, that was corrected.”
In 2010, citizen Lissette Gomez came up with an initiative for minimum sentencing. “I supported it at that time and worked on a law to reach the minimum sentence.” However, this law concept received negative advice from legal experts. Positive advice was very scarce.
The Prime Minister explained that the main objection to a minimum sentence is that when introduced, it comes with risks. The minimum could be a mere six months, one or two years, which is very low. Additionally, experts also explained that little evidence could result in six months or a year. But if a minimum sentence is introduced, and if in the case there is little evidence, there would be no punishment. He explained that the threshold to reach the evidence to impose a minimum sentence is very high. “I did not want to take that risk, and I decided to put a stop to it.”
