Children as young as eleven years old are being incarcerated in juvenile correction facilities in Swaziland for up to ten years, even thoug...
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Children as young as eleven years old are being incarcerated in juvenile correction facilities in Swaziland for up to ten years, even though they have committed no crimes.
And, the trend to lock innocent children up is increasing, a United Nations group examining human rights in Swaziland was told.Parents collaborate with the Commissioner of Correctional Services in what was described as 'the best interests of the child'.
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| Gross Child Abuse |
A report submitted jointly to the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review of Swaziland April-May 2016 by SOS-Swaziland, Super Buddies, Prison Fellowship and Luvatsi - Swaziland Youth Empowerment Organisation, gave the example of one child aged 11.
Their report stated, 'There is a growing trend of child and youth abuse done by the state and the parents purportedly in "the best interests of the child".
Children and youths are illegal incarcerated in prison centres by parents in collaboration with the Commissioner of Correctional Services who claims that the children are unruly.
'In one incident, Grace (not her real name) who is a single parent to John (not his real name) wrote a request letter to the Commissioner of Correctional Services requesting that John be incarcerated for unruly behaviour.
'In one incident, Grace (not her real name) who is a single parent to John (not his real name) wrote a request letter to the Commissioner of Correctional Services requesting that John be incarcerated for unruly behaviour.
In the letter, Grace states her concerns that eleven years old John might not finish school; hence her reason for wanting him incarcerated and attending the juvenile school at Malkerns Industrial School for Rehabilitation.
'Responding to the same letter of request by Grace, the Commissioner of Correctional Services stated that under normal circumstances, they do not admit persons who have not been sentenced by the courts and directed therein through committal warrants.
'However, the Commissioner agreed to rehabilitate John under the stated conditions; that the 11 years old John is institutionalised at the juvenile school for 10 years; there is an order from a presiding officer giving him a custodial order of ten years without remission; and that he will cooperate with His Majesty's Correctional Services while under its care.
In 2012, the Times Sunday newspaper in Swaziland reported that Isaiah Mzuthini Ntshangase, Swaziland's Correctional Services Commissioner, was encouraging parents to send their 'unruly children' to the facility if they thought they were badly behaved.
'Responding to the same letter of request by Grace, the Commissioner of Correctional Services stated that under normal circumstances, they do not admit persons who have not been sentenced by the courts and directed therein through committal warrants.
'However, the Commissioner agreed to rehabilitate John under the stated conditions; that the 11 years old John is institutionalised at the juvenile school for 10 years; there is an order from a presiding officer giving him a custodial order of ten years without remission; and that he will cooperate with His Majesty's Correctional Services while under its care.
In 2012, the Times Sunday newspaper in Swaziland reported that Isaiah Mzuthini Ntshangase, Swaziland's Correctional Services Commissioner, was encouraging parents to send their 'unruly children' to the facility if they thought they were badly behaved.
One unemployed father of an 11-year-old boy said he put his son in the facility because he did not have money to pay school fees. 'I am grateful that my son is in school. I cannot afford his education because I am old. My wish is that he finishes school to earn a decent living,' he said.
The guardian of one girl said before she was admitted at the school, she had not been able to contain her behaviour. 'My biggest problem was that I had lost her. She dropped out of school together with my niece (sister's daughter) who is an orphan,' she said.
Children reported that they were not beaten but they were badly fed, getting their supper at around 3pm, which meant they went to bed hungry. This was not the first time the Swazi juvenile correction facility had been under the spotlight.
In August 2010, it was revealed that a 12-year-old boy was serving one year in Mdutshane because he insulted his grandmother. He had been sentenced to an E300 fine (about US$40) - but was too poor to pay so was jailed instead. - Online Sources
The guardian of one girl said before she was admitted at the school, she had not been able to contain her behaviour. 'My biggest problem was that I had lost her. She dropped out of school together with my niece (sister's daughter) who is an orphan,' she said.
Children reported that they were not beaten but they were badly fed, getting their supper at around 3pm, which meant they went to bed hungry. This was not the first time the Swazi juvenile correction facility had been under the spotlight.
In August 2010, it was revealed that a 12-year-old boy was serving one year in Mdutshane because he insulted his grandmother. He had been sentenced to an E300 fine (about US$40) - but was too poor to pay so was jailed instead. - Online Sources
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