Dušan Vejinović (EFSAS) speaking on child victims of terrorism during 40th Session of UNHRC, Geneva

Описание: Mr. Dušan Vejinović (Senior Research Analyst EFSAS) speaking at a Seminar, ‘Child victims of Terrorism in search for justice’, during 40th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, organized by the Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism (ADVT).

Mr. Dušan Vejinović explained that Art 1, sub 2 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, and adopted in 1977, is only applicable in such non-international armed conflicts, which take place in the territory of a state party between its armed forces and dissident armed forces or other organized armed groups which, under responsible command, exercise such control over a part of its territory as to enable them to carry out sustained and concerted military operations and to implement the Protocol.

Mr. Vejinović further discussed the ‘Children and Armed Conflict’ report issued by the UN Secretary-General, and pointed out that according to this report, militant groups Jaish-e-Muhammad and Hizbul Mujahideen are recruiting children to fight against security forces in Indian Administered Jammu & Kashmir. He highlighted the fact that the leaders of the militant groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar, are able to roam unencumbered in Pakistan while the international community’s desire is to have them designated as terrorists.

Mr. Vejinović concluded his speech by saying that children have been largely exploited by becoming part of radicalization processes that suit terrorist organizations' ideology. Therefore, children, in the first place, should be treated as victims of terrorism and in the second place, as juvenile offenders with lower criminal responsibility.