Tag

Child Recruitment

All articles tagged with #child recruitment

world18 days ago•8 min saved

Teens targeted: Ukraine reveals Russian recruitment of underage saboteurs via Telegram

Ukrainian teenagers, some as young as 13, were lured through Telegram ads with promises of easy money to sabotage targets inside Ukraine. Several cases have led to arrests and prison sentences in Kremenchuk, including eight youths convicted of Russia-related offenses. The schemes exploited poverty and wartime disruption, offering thousands of dollars to plant bombs, torch railway equipment, or carry out sabotage; in some cases explosive devices were intercepted before they could be used. The UN OHCHR notes credible allegations of Russia using Ukrainian children for surveillance and sabotage, while Russia denies the charges. Ukrainian authorities report hundreds of juveniles detained on similar charges, highlighting ongoing rehabilitation efforts as these youths age out of detention.

via The Washington Post|

#child-recruitment #juvenile-justice #russia-ukraine-conflict

world1 month ago•126 min saved

HRW flags social media glamorizing rebels and recruiting Colombian children

Human Rights Watch says dozens of social media accounts glorify rebel life and appear to encourage children to join Colombia’s armed groups, with platforms like Meta and TikTok saying they prohibit such content and have removed flagged accounts. HRW ties most child-recruitment cases to a FARC holdout led by commander Ivan Mordisco, especially in Cauca; Indigenous children make up roughly half of recruitment cases since 2021, Indigenous people account for about 4% of the population, and girls constitute around 40% of recruited children. The group urges the government to prosecute recruiters and calls on social platforms to provide easy reporting channels and to preserve evidence for prosecutors.

via AP News|

#child-recruitment #colombia #farc

world4 months ago•5 min saved

Iranian State TV Pushes Weapons Training as Security Push Goes to Minors

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB has aired live weapons-training segments across channels, including demonstrations with assault rifles and other weapons, featuring civilians learning to fight perceived enemies. Separately, the IRGC has formally begun recruiting children as young as 12 for checkpoints and intelligence patrols, a move HRW condemns as a grave violation of children's rights and a potential war crime, amid ongoing regional tensions and recent civilian casualties at checkpoints.

via Euronews.com|

#child-recruitment #human-rights-watch #iran

crime9 months ago•4 min saved

Swedish Criminal Gangs Recruit Children as 'Soldiers' via Social Media

In Sweden, criminal networks are recruiting children as young as 12 through social media platforms, grooming them for violent acts like murder, with some children being manipulated into carrying out shootings within days to weeks of initial contact. Authorities have shut down channels like Telegram's Samurai Children, which facilitated these activities, highlighting a disturbing trend where social media glamorizes violence and fast money, leading to increased youth involvement in crime.

via Al Jazeera|

#child-recruitment #crime #criminal-networks

crime3 years ago•2 min saved

"Alarming Rise of Sexual Assault Cases at U.K. Army's Youth Training Center"

Nine rapes, two sexual assaults, and one case of voyeurism were reported at the U.K.'s Army Foundation college in Harrogate over the past year. The college, which trains 16 and 17-year-olds for the British Army, had an "outstanding" rating by the U.K. education regulator. The U.K. is one of the few countries that recruits children under 18 into the armed services, and a parliamentary report found that the military was "failing to protect" female recruits, with almost two-thirds experiencing sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination. The recent internal Army review into the death of a 19-year-old female soldier revealed an "intense period of unwelcome behavior" by her boss, who had wanted a relationship with her.

via CBS News|

#army #child-recruitment #crime