AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) stressed that "a distressing reality persists as children find themselves confined within detention facilities, facing numerous challenges that not only compromise their well-being but also breach the very international agreements designed to protect their rights."
The center confirmed in a statement on Wednesday (August 23, 2023) that "children as young as 10 years old have become subjects of reprisals by Bahraini authorities, occurring within the context of the continuous suppression of the pro-democracy and human rights movement," noting that "there are approximately 183 children in prisons, they may be included in the right of release, if implemented."
The center recalled that "Underage individuals are frequently arrested following their involvement in peaceful rallies or their proximity to nearby protests." It noted that in an attempt to extract confessions, children detainees are subjected ill-treatment and severe torture.
BCHR called on the authorities to "demonstrate their commitment to international agreements such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) by ensuring that the rights and protections outlined in these agreements are fully respected and implemented."
It also urged them to "provide for transparent legal processes and open communication in juvenile cases, including by promptly informing families of the charges pending against their children so that they can adequately organize legal representation, and eradicate all forms of physical and psychological abuse against child detainees."
The center stressed the need to "Establish an independent mechanism to monitor detention facilities and an accountability system wherein those responsible for abuses against child detainees are held accountable through transparent investigations and appropriate legal action."
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