Defence for Children International (DCI) welcomes the opportunity to speak on behalf of the NGO Panel on Children Deprived of Liberty.
The NGO Panel thanks the Working Group for their report and for highlighting that human rights defenders are at an increased risk of being subject to arbitrary detention.
This is even more true for child human rights defenders who are also deprived of their liberty on national security grounds. Indeed, many States utilise vague or overbroad definitions used to charge and prosecute political opponents and religious minorities. As a result, children may be arrested and detained on national security grounds simply for participating in protests against the Government or engaging in peace.
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