Page - 370 - in Menschenrechte und Gerechtigkeit als bleibende Aufgaben - Beiträge aus Religion, Theologie, Ethik, Recht und Wirtschaft

© 2020, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847111658 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737011655 2.6. The rightsof children TheSPCO imposes criminal responsibility – aswell as the corresponding sen- tences, includingdeathbystoning, floggingandamputation–onallmukallaf, whichisdefinedintheSPCOas“apersonwhohasattainedtheageof15years… and[is]ofsoundmind”.63Evenchildrenbelowtheageof15maybepunishedfor offences such as extramarital sex and extramarital rape when deemed old enough toknow thedifferencebetween right orwrongby the special juvenile punishmentofwhippingnotexceeding40strokes.64 Bruneihasratified,alongwithnearlyeveryotherUNmemberState, theCRC, whichdefines ‘child’ as “everyhumanbeingbelow theageofeighteenyears”.65 Article 19of theCRCstipulates that all childrenunder18yearsof agemustbe protected fromall formsof physical ormental violence.66Article 37 (a) of the CRCobligesStatePartiestoensurethat“nochildshallbesubjectedtotortureor other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be im- posedforoffencescommittedbypersonsbeloweighteenyearsofage.”67This is an absoluteprohibitionof thedeathpenalty for childrenup to the ageof 18,68 which,duetothenear-universalratificationoftheCRC,hasattainedthestatusof customary international law.Article40of theCRCrequiresStates to“recognize therightofeverychildallegedas,accusedof,orrecognizedashaving infringed the penal law to be treated in amanner consistentwith the promotion of the child’s sense of dignity andworth.”69TheCommittee has since affirmed that “there isnoambiguity: ‘all formsofphysicalormentalviolence’doesnot leave roomforany levelof legalizedviolenceagainst children”and“inaminorityof States,corporalpunishmentusingcanesorwhipsisstillauthorizedasasentence of thecourts forchildoffenders.Asfrequently reiteratedby theCommittee, the Conventionrequires the repealofall suchprovisions.”70 Nations Human Rights Committee, CCPRGeneral Comment No.20 on Article 7 on the ProhibitionofTorture,orOtherCruel, InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishmentof 10March1992,para5: “theprohibitionmustextendtocorporalpunishment”. 63 SPCO2013, section2. 64 Ibid, sections70,79. 65 UnitedNationsConventionontheRightsof theChildof20November1989,Article1. 66 UNConventionontheRightsof theChild,Article19. 67 Ibid,Article37 (a). 68 See alsoUnitedNations Committee on the Rights of the Child, General CommentNo.10 (2007) on children’s rights in juvenile justice of 25 April 2007, CRC/C/GC/10, para. 75f. 69 UNConventionontheRightsof theChild,Article40. 70 UnitedNationsCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,GeneralCommentNo.8(2006)onthe rightofthechildtoprotectionfromcorporalpunishmentandothercruelordegradingforms ofpunishmentof2March2007,CRC/C/GC/8,paras. 18, 32. ManfredNowak/Anna-MariaSteiner370 Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0