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US admits that it has detained 2,500 minors as enemies
The United States has detained about 2,500 juveniles younger than 18 as illegal enemy combatants in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay since 2002, according to a report filed by the Bush administration with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
- Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
- Published: 00:38 May 16, 2008
Washington: The United States has detained about 2,500 juveniles younger than 18 as illegal enemy combatants in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay since 2002, according to a report filed by the Bush administration with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Although 2,400 of the juveniles were captured in Iraq after the US-led invasion in March 2003, only 500 are still held in detention facilities in that country. The administration's report, which was made public on Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union, says that most of the detained Iraqi youths were "engaging in anti-coalition activity."
As of last month, ten juveniles were still being held in Bagram, Afghanistan, out of 90 that had been captured in that country since 2002, according to the report.
Eight juveniles were brought to Guantanamo since 2002, having been captured at ages ranging from 13 to 17. Although there are no juveniles there now, two prisoners being held - 21-year-old Omar Khadr and 23-year-old Mohammad Jawad - were juveniles when they arrived.
Rehabilitation
Three of the other six juveniles once held at Guantanamo were sent back to Afghanistan in 2004, where they were put into a Unicef rehabilitation program for child soldiers. The last three juveniles were transferred by back to their home countries.
"Juveniles and former child soldiers should be treated first and foremost as candidates for rehabilitation and reintegration into society, not subjected to further victimisation," Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's human rights program, said.
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