Autonomous Women’s Center is disappointed by the fact that the Ministry of Justice, with the assistance of the UNICEF, developed a draft Law on Juvenile Criminal Offenders and Criminal Legal Protection of Juveniles, in which the level of achieved rights for the protection of children’s rights is reduced. The proposed draft reduces the list of crimes that will be treated by judges, prosecutors and police officers who have special training in dealing with cases where children are victims. The draft of law also abolishes the current obligation of the state to set up an attorney for the child, the victim of violence, from the circle the lawyers who would represent him/her in the proceedings, leaving the prosecutor's offices and courts that in its own discretion decide whether to give that right to the child.
AWC has expected tightening of the provisions of the existing Law on the Protection of Children, which has not always been respected by the courts and prosecutors' offices, in the manner that there will be provided additional rights of minors as victims, and the penalties imposed for non-compliance with these provisions, which would be in accordance with Directive 2012/29/EU on establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime.
AWC has sent its comments to the Ministry of Justice and the working group for drafting the new aw on Juvenile Criminal Offenders and Criminal Legal Protection of Juveniles.