Military criticized over child detentions

Military criticized over child detentions
By Frank Jordans - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday May 21, 2008 18:52:42 EDT

GENEVA — A rights group criticized the U.S. military Wednesday for holding hundreds of youths in Iraq, saying American forces aren’t living up to international standards.

The complaint by the New York-based Human Rights Watch came as U.S. officials prepared to answer questions Thursday from the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child.

In written answers submitted to the committee last week, the Bush administration said the U.S. military is holding about 500 juveniles in detention centers in Iraq and has about 10 detained at a base in Afghanistan.

It said no minors were currently at the Guantanamo Bay prison, but as many as eight youths ages 13 to 17 had been held there in the past. That figure was challenged by rights groups and lawyers for some detainees, who contend dozens of juveniles had been sent to Guantanamo.

Washington told the committee that it has held a total of 2,500 youths under the age of 18 since 2002, almost all in Iraq.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_child_detentions_052108/