Legal Status of Recruited Children in Armed Conflict
Naser Ben aros Emiteg
Badruddin Hj Ibrahim
Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws || IIUM || Malaysia
Tab title This study aimed at sheds light on the legal status of child soldiers involved in armed conflicts before they reach the age of conscription. Actually, there is no armed conflict passing without the participation of underage children in it. Morovere, there is a problem represented in the lack of clarity of the legal status of child soldiers participating in armed conflicts, upon capture them or arrest them. Therefore, the question is ‘What is the protection granted to them according to this legal status?’. This study tries to know and determine the identity of children with their legal status in the event of their conscription. If this happens, it regards a violation of international law. Furthermore, the study endeavored to clarify the protection granted to children in case of their captivity, because their humanitarian status differs from adult fighters. In addition, this study discussed how they are treated, as well as to clarify their criminal responsibility for the crimes they committed during the period of their recruitment. Accordingly, the researcher relied on the descriptive analytical approach to study the rules of international law and the texts of international charters and treaties that prohibit the recruitment and analysis of children in armed conflicts. In addition to the inductive approach was used to highlight the rules of link between the legal status of a child soldier and his criminal responsibility for his actions during the period of his recruitment. The study concluded with a set of findings, the most important of which are: the legal status of child soldiers is based on the availability of two basic conditions. Therefore, they enjoy of legal protection, whether the protection is general for prisoners of war, or special protection for civilian children. In addition, the legal status of child soldiers who have not reached the age of recruitment do not take in account for their criminal responsibility for their acts committed during the period of their conscription. Nevertheless, from other hand, there is no way to punish them, given their dual status as victims and perpetrators of a crime alike, according to the rules of international humanitarian law. However, the matter is different with regard to the internal judiciary of states. Keywords: Child Soldier, Legal Status, Armed Conflict.
Tab title
This study aimed at sheds light on the legal status of child soldiers involved in armed conflicts before they reach the age of conscription. Actually, there is no armed conflict passing without the participation of underage children in it. Morovere, there is a problem represented in the lack of clarity of the legal status of child soldiers participating in armed conflicts, upon capture them or arrest them. Therefore, the question is ‘What is the protection granted to them according to this legal status?’. This study tries to know and determine the identity of children with their legal status in the event of their conscription. If this happens, it regards a violation of international law. Furthermore, the study endeavored to clarify the protection granted to children in case of their captivity, because their humanitarian status differs from adult fighters. In addition, this study discussed how they are treated, as well as to clarify their criminal responsibility for the crimes they committed during the period of their recruitment. Accordingly, the researcher relied on the descriptive analytical approach to study the rules of international law and the texts of international charters and treaties that prohibit the recruitment and analysis of children in armed conflicts. In addition to the inductive approach was used to highlight the rules of link between the legal status of a child soldier and his criminal responsibility for his actions during the period of his recruitment. The study concluded with a set of findings, the most important of which are: the legal status of child soldiers is based on the availability of two basic conditions. Therefore, they enjoy of legal protection, whether the protection is general for prisoners of war, or special protection for civilian children. In addition, the legal status of child soldiers who have not reached the age of recruitment do not take in account for their criminal responsibility for their acts committed during the period of their conscription. Nevertheless, from other hand, there is no way to punish them, given their dual status as victims and perpetrators of a crime alike, according to the rules of international humanitarian law. However, the matter is different with regard to the internal judiciary of states. Keywords: Child Soldier, Legal Status, Armed Conflict.
الوضع القانوني للأطفال المجندين في النزاعات المسلحة
ناصر بن عروس إميثق
بدر الدين الحاج إبراهيم
كلية أحمد إبراهيم للحقوق || الجامعة الإسلامية العالمية || ماليزيا
Tab title
هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى تناول الوضع القانوني للأطفال الجنود المشتركين في النزاعات المسلحة قبل بلوغهم سن التجنيد، حيث لا يكاد يخلو أي نزاع مسلح من مشاركة الأطفال القصر فيه، ومن منطلق إشكالية الدراسة المتمثلة في عدم وضوح الوضع القانوني للأطفال الجنود المشاركين في النزاعات المسلحة، عند إلقاء القبض عليهم أو اعتقالهم؟ وما الحماية المقررة لهم تبعاً لهذا الوضع القانوني؟ ولمعرفة وتحديد هويتهم ووضعهم القانوني في حالة تجنيدهم بالمخالفة للقانون الدولي ووقوعهم في الأسر، وبيان الحماية المقررة لهم كونهم أطفال يختلف وضعهم الإنساني عن المقاتلين الكبار، وكيفية معاملتهم، واستيضاح مسؤوليتهم الجنائية عن الجرائم التي ارتكبوها إبان مدة تجنيدهم، اعتمد الباحثان على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، لدراسة قواعد القانون الدولي ونصوص المواثيق والمعاهدات الدولية التي تحظر تجنيد الأطفال في النزاعات المسلحة وتحليلها، بالإضافة إلى المنهج الاستقرائي لإبراز قواعد الارتباط بين الوضع القانوني للطفل المجند ومسؤوليته الجنائية عن أفعاله خلال مدة تجنيده، وقد خلصت الدراسة إلى جملة من النتائج أهمها: إن الوضع القانوني للأطفال الجنود قائم على توفر شرطين أساسيين، ومن ثَم تمتعهم بالحماية القانونية، فيما إذا كانت الحماية عامة المقررة لأسرى الحرب، أو حماية خاصة للأطفال المدنيين، ولا يحول الوضع القانوني للأطفال الجنود الذين لم يبلغوا سن التجنيد، عن قيام مسؤوليتهم الجنائية عن أفعالهم المرتكبة أثناء فترة تجنيدهم، ولكن لا مجال لمعاقبتهم نظراً لمركزهم المزدوج كضحايا ومرتكبي جرم- على حد سواء- حسب قواعد القانون الدولي الإنساني، إلا أن الأمر يختلف بالنسبة للقضاء الداخلي للدول. الكلمات المفتاحية: الطفل الجندي، الوضع القانوني، النزاع المسلح.