![]() The age of criminal responsibility varies from country to country, from 7-16, but the bar is most commonly set at 14. � exclusion of children from the ICC jurisdiction avoided an argument between States on the minimum age for international crimes,� it noted. International Criminal Court (ICC) Article 26 prevents the court from prosecuting anyone under the age of 18, but not because it believes children should be exempt from prosecution for international crimes, �but rather that the decision on whether to prosecute should be left to States,� says the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for children and armed conflict (Working Paper Number 3: Children and Justice During and in the Aftermath of Armed Conflict, September 2011). Robert Young, deputy permanent observer and legal adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) based in New York, told IRIN international humanitarian law (IHL) remains �silent� on the age of responsibility for perpetrators of grave human rights abuses, such as wilful killing, torture and inhumane treatment. ![]() The godfather of human rights laws, the Geneva Conventions, oblige all member states to act on grave breaches of human rights, but does not stipulate the age of criminal responsibility. JOHANNESBURG, 6 October 2011 (IRIN) - International human rights law meanders between the vague and the hazy when it comes to its stance on the age of criminal responsibility and what, if any, punishments should be imposed on child soldiers guilty of war crimes. * Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
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