Boy sentenced to death in Sudan for crime reportedly committed as a child
Statement by Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Sudan Representative
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- English
- العربية
KHARTOUM, 30 May 2019 – “UNICEF is alarmed at the death sentence passed against a boy for a crime he committed when he was still a child, at 15 years-old.
“This is a clear violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which Sudan ratified in 1990. The Convention states that no child shall face capital punishment or life in prison without the possibility of release. Children found guilty of breaking the law must be treated with dignity and respect and in a manner that accounts for their needs as children.
“It is also a clear violation of the Sudan Child Act 2010.
“UNICEF is calling on the Sudanese judicial system to abide by its legal obligations to provide age-appropriate measures for children who commit offences.
“This year marks 30 years since the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The provisions of the Convention on detention, punishment and capital punishment remain fundamental for the fulfillments of children rights around the world. UNICEF continues to provide support to governments and judicial authorities to adopt alternative measures for detention and sentencing for children.”
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