WASHINGTON D.C. (10-11 November 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Mr. Juan Mendez, recently held an Expert Consultation on “Torture and Ill-Treatment of Juveniles Deprived of Liberty”in preparation for his forthcoming thematic report which will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2015.This is the first time that Professor Mendez is specifically exploring the issue of child immigration detention.
The thematic report on children deprived of liberty will explore how the unique vulnerability of children can potentially affect the standards for torture and CIDT, requiring higher standards and broader safeguards. It will identify specific practices (including, among others, segregation, organization and administration of detention facilities, availability of alternative measures and opportunities for rehabilitation, disciplinary sanctions, training of specifically qualified personnel, adequate monitoring and oversight, family support and visits) requiring specific attention and modified standards from the perspective of the prevention of torture and ill-treatment as it applies to children.
The report will take an expansive look at a range of issues including but going beyond classic juvenile justice issues, including immigration detention, healthcare detention, detention of children with disabilities, and alternative forms of detention (including but not limited to political imprisonment, military detention, child trafficking, children in orphanages and foster care, and incarceration in private prisons).
In this context, the consultation was intended to help the Special Rapporteur determine priorities for the forthcoming report, and to facilitate a focused discussion of key issues pertaining to the torture and ill-treatment of children in the context of detention. Among other things, the two-day Expert Consultation explored the deprivation of liberty in the context of children in conflict with the law, various forms of administrative detention of children, and included a focused two-hour session on the immigration detention of children. IDC Advocacy Coordinator, Ben Lewis, moderated the session on child immigration detention and contributed
Resources:
IDC Submission: IDC Remarks to the Expert Consultation on Torture and Ill-Treatment of Juveniles Deprived of Liberty
Related Story: UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to investigate impacts of child detention
IDC Fact Sheet: Children in immigration detention
[gview file=»https://idcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Juveniles_Consultation_Agenda_November_4_2014.pdf»]