Children as young as 13 held in Guantanamo Bay

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday April 27, 2003 13:06 by EM xoin at hotmail dot com www.humanrightswatch.org

The US military has announced that at least three children aged from 13 to 15 are being held in the detention camp, Guantnamo Bay. Like other prisoners being held at the camp, they are being held indefinately without trial and are being interrogated by the military. They have been in captivity for over a year. Human Rights Watch have sent a letter to Donald Rumsfeld urging the United States to strictly observe international children's rights standards regarding the detainees.

"The use of children as soldiers is an appalling abuse," said Jo Becker, child rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. "These children are entitled to rehabilitation, not indefinite detention."