The role of international organizations and international law in protecting minors from implication in life and health threatening illegal activities

Abstract

The subject of this research is the role of international organizations, as well as legal acts adopted on the international level aimed at protecting the rights and ensuring security of minors, namely with regards to implication  in illegal activities that threaten their life and health. The author aims to determine the international legal basis for the emergence of the norms in national criminal legislation that protect minors from such violations. Emphasis is placed on the process of establishment of international legal protection of minors, and the role of international organizations therein. Special attention is given to the corresponding regional international documents, which contain innovative provisions that should be included into the framework acts. The novelty of this research lies in comprehensive analysis of the international legal grounds for protection of minors from implication in illegal activities that threaten their life and health. The conclusion is made that the list of measures for the protection of minors established by the international acts is constantly expanding; despite the fact that the international acts and decisions of international organizations do not contain the norms that explicitly stipulate the responsibility of the states to ensure protection of minors from implication in illegal activities, the responsibility on establishing such protection stems from the norms that declare the need to protect minors from negligent treatment, engagement in negative social practices, as well as ensuring their information security. Therefore, the inclusion of the norm 151.2 “Implication of a minor in commission of life and health threatening actions” into the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation has solid foundation associated with the acts of international law and activity of international organizations.