A man was sentenced to 21 years in prison for raping his daughter, IPN reports.

According to prosecutors, from last summer until December, the 38-year-old defendant forced his seven-year-old daughter to have sex with him at his home located in a village in northern Moldova. The facts were discovered by the girl's grandmother, who noticed the man’s suspicious behavior and decided to inform the mother about the situation. The woman immediately alerted the police and an investigation was launched.

The defendant refused to make statements during the investigation and pleaded not guilty. He will serve his sentence in a closed prison. The sentence can be appealed.

The authorities emphasize the importance of protecting children against sexual abuse and specify that any sexual act directed against people who have not reached the age of 16 is severely punished by criminal law.