UNICEF Condemns Violence Against Egyptian Children

A statement was released Sunday by UNICEF representative in Egypt Philippe Duamelleon expressing his concern about Egyptian children being subject to violence and detention in the latest bouts of national unrest.

“Children should not be victims nor witnesses of violence and their rights should be respected under all circumstances,” read the statement, asserting that any child arrested is protected by national child law.

“They must not be mistreated nor detained with adults, and their rights to legal assistance must be fully secured,” added the statement.

Recently, many rights reports complained that children in Egypt have been victims of police violence and arrest.

A statement issued by a number of human rights activists 5 February stated that at least 225 people have been detained from areas near Cairo’s Tahrir Square since the second anniversary of Egypt’s January 25 Revolution, which coincided with mass rallies against the government and President Mohamed Morsi. According to the statement, those detained included minors who were subjected to torture and days-long incarceration at Central Security Forces (CSF) training camps.

On 27 January, a teenage suffering cancer was arrested during clashes in Alexandria and could not access the medical care he required, rights activists revealed. He was only granted release after nine days in detention.

On 3 February, Omar Salah a 10-year-old street vendor was killed after being “mistakenly” shot by an army soldier near the US embassy in Cairo.

The soldier was detained on Friday for 15 days pending investigations.

Ahram