UN report: France has violated rights of citizen children detained in Syrian camps

Syria – The United Nations Child Rights Committee said on Thursday in its latest report findings that rights of French children who are detained in Syrian camps have been violated by France. In the report analysis, the United Nations committee had kept into account three cases that were filed by group of French nationals whose grandchildren, nieces and nephews were currently being detained in Syrian camps in Rawj, Ayn Isa and Hawl. These camps are in areas that are at present under control of Kurdish forces.

These cases were brought to the Committee in 2019. So far only 11 children have been repatriated to France.

The report case concerns 49 children currently detained in the said Syrian camps. Their parents are said to have collaborated with the ISIL terrorist network, also commonly known as Arabic term Da’esh. Some of these children were born in Syria while others had moved to Syria with their French parents at a very young age.

The Committee has stated that France has responsibility and possesses power to protect the children, who are French citizens, and repatriate them from a dangerous land that is putting their lives into imminent danger. The Child Rights Committee has also underlined that French government has not showcased any steps that support it gave any due consideration keeping child victims as interest when reviewing the requests of their repatriation by their relatives.

Highlighting the critical situation in these camps, Committee member Ann Skelton said, “The children are living in inhuman sanitary conditions, lacking basic necessities including water, food and health care, and facing an imminent risk of death.  At least 62 children have reportedly died in the camps as a result of these conditions since the beginning of 2021.” She added, “We call on France to take immediate action, as every day that passes there is a renewed possibility for further casualties.”  The Committee is made up of 18 independent human rights experts from around the world. The UN Committee monitors adherence by countries to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols.