As normas referentes às crianças-soldado no Direito Internacional

Abstract

This work deals with the international rules concerning child soldiers, and addresses, in particular, the use of defenses based on allegations of violation of the principles of legality and mistake of law by defendants in criminal proceedings of the Special Court for Sierra Leone and of the International Criminal Court. Moreover, it investigates if the general prohibition to child involvement in armed conflicts and the infractions to this seal particularly the ducts of recruit, enlist and using children as soldiers are part of the customary international law and, if so, since when they have been integrated to this field. It also analyzes if the argument of good faith can be a valid element of defense in those processes, on the basis of cultural relativism. The main purpose it s to clarify the process of criminalization of those acts, and identify the hierarchical position occupied by the rules in question. In this regard, the state practice and the opinio juris concerning the theme are investigated. In result, it is concluded that those norms have a customary nature and they already belong to the domain of jus cogens.