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Adults Before Their Time: Children in Saudi Arabia’s Criminal Justice System

Adults Before Their Time

Children in Saudi Arabia’s Criminal Justice System

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Precarious Justice: Arbitrary Detention and Unfair Trials in the Deficient Criminal Justice System of Saudi Arabia - Report

More on Human Rights Watch's work on Saudi Arabia

More on Human Rights Watch's work on Children's Rights

I. Summary

Abuses of Children in Conflict with the Law

Criminalizing Foreign Children in Need of Protection

II. Key Recommendations

Children in Detention

Children and the Criminal Law

III. Methods

International Standards

Terminology

IV. Background on the Criminal Justice System

Overly-Broad Judicial Discretion

Arbitrary procedures for determining age of majority in criminal cases

Weak Protections against Arbitrary Arrest and Detention

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice

Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility

Pervasive Discrimination against Women and Girls

Detention Centers for Children

V. The Juvenile Death Penalty

The Death Penalty in Saudi Arabian Law

Cases of Juvenile Offenders Sentenced to Death

VI. Children in Ministry of Social Affairs Detention Centers

Detention during Investigation, Pending Trial, and for Minor Offenses

Detention for “seclusion” or “mingling”

Indefinite detention for “guidance”

Delays in Release due to Guardians’ Refusal to Receive Detainees

Other Obstacles to Challenging Deprivation of Liberty

Mixing Children of Different Ages and Conviction Statuses

VII. Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Use of Corporal Punishment and Solitary Confinement as Punishment

Denial of Family Visits as Punishment

Isolation for Reasons Other Than Punishment

“Therapeutic” isolation that is not a medical necessity

Isolation during investigation

VIII. Denial of Legal and Other Appropriate Assistance

Interrogations and Trial in Ministry of Social Affairs Facilities

Interrogations outside of Ministry of Social Affairs Facilities

IX. Conditions for Foreign Children in Need of Protection

The Role of Ministry of Social Affairs Offices for Combating Begging

Inadequate Procedures for Determining Children’s Best Interests during Deportation Proceedings

Return to Real Risk of Irreparable Harm

Detention in Adult Deportation Facilities

X. Recommendations

To the Government of Saudi Arabia

To the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 79

Acknowledgments

March 2008 Volume 20, No. 4(E)

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