Issued today to Australian media from the International Secretariat of
Amnesty International:
News Service 048/00
AI INDEX: ASA 12/03/00
14 March 2000
Crunch time for children's human rights in Australia
As Australia's Senators debate mandatory detention of juveniles, Amnesty
International urged them to give life to the children's human rights the
government has promised to protect.
The welcome findings of the Senate committee's report on mandatory
detention assert federal responsibility for ensuring that Australia's
international obligations are met.
"Today's parliamentary debate is crunch time for respect for international
treaties. If Australia wants to be taken seriously, it cannot pick and
choose which treaty obligations matter," the human rights organization said.
This is the second parliamentary report in two years recommending
alternatives to mandatory detention. If this crucial children's rights
issue is not resolved domestically, Australia risks facing further
embarrassment before the United Nations (UN) this year.
Under mandatory detention laws the courts cannot sentence children
according to the seriousness of the crime, their maturity or circumstances.
Nor can reparations to victims be taken into account in a mandatory prison
term.
"The findings on mandatory detention are clear -- it does not serve the
community or provide justice for victims. The interests of Australian
children should not be subject to politics. Those responsible for
upholding Australian values and obligations should take decisive action."
ENDS.../
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in
Sydney on 0413 028 191, or in London, UK, on 44 171 413 5566, or visit our
website at http://www.amnesty.org
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