Suhakam, groups calls for moratorium on Sosma detention of children

KUCHING (March 15): The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Children’s Rights (APPGM-CR) have condemned the recent use of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) against children.

According to the groups, the Act was used to detain children, who are victims of terrorist recruitment through social media and online gaming platforms.

In this respect, they urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to immediately impose a moratorium on the use of Sosma against children.

“The Prime Minister must also ensure that children involved in such cases are treated as victims of exploitation, and provided with appropriate rehabilitation and protection under the Child Act 2001,” said Suhakam and APPGM-CR in a joint statement on Sunday.

The groups noted that there was growing international concern about terrorist groups increasingly exploiting digital spaces and online gaming platforms to recruit and indoctrinate children.

“These tactics are evolving rapidly and often outpace the responses of governments.

“In such circumstances, the children involved are primarily victims of manipulation, grooming and indoctrination, and should therefore be addressed through protection, rehabilitation and psychosocial intervention, rather than restrictive security detention,” said Suhakam and APPGM-CR.

“While we welcome the reported release of the children involved on March 13, it is essential that any further action should prioritise structured rehabilitation and monitoring mechanisms, particularly in cases where children may have been subjected to attempted online extremist recruitment.

“Detaining children under Sosma, a law designed to address serious national security threats, is inconsistent with the principle of the best interests of the child and undermines Malaysia’s obligation to protect children from exploitation,” they added.

According to them, as a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) since 1995, Malaysia has clear international obligations to ensure that children are protected from arbitrary or prolonged deprivation of liberty.

The justice system, they pointed out, must also ensure that the children’s treatment would prioritise their best interests, due process and meaningful access to justice.

“The Child Act 2001 provides a clear legal framework that prioritises the care, protection, rehabilitation and welfare of children exposed to harm, exploitation or criminal influence.

“Children who have been targeted by extremist networks should therefore be addressed through child protection mechanisms, including counselling, deradicalisation programmes, family support and community-based rehabilitation.

“Such interventions should incorporate appropriate psychosocial support, structured monitoring and active parental involvement to reduce the risk of recurrence,” they stressed.

“We remain committed to working with the government and the enforcement agencies to ensure that Malaysia’s counter-terrorism measures would uphold human rights and protect the best interests of every child,” added Suhakam and APPGM-CR.