The statement by France's Human Rights Defender Jacques Toubon came as controversy intensifies over the reluctance of French authorities to take in the children of French citizens affiliated with Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Syria and Iraq. "The French state needs to adopt effective measures allowing the halt to the inhumane and degrading treatment of children and their mothers and put an end to the violations of the rights of the child," Toubon said. He alleged violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which France is a signatory. The human rights defender leads an independent state institution set up in 2011 and enshrined in the constitution to defend people whose rights have been violated. "We expect that the French authorities will organise the repatriation (of the children) as soon as possible," they said in a statement.

Source: Bangkok Post May 29, 2019 12:45 UTC