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[10 February 2012] - Since the last Assize Court for minors held in July 2009, 15 youngsters have been held illegally in gaol in Conakry. Terre des hommes has exercised all its means – human, financial and practical – that a new Assize Court be organised. New sessions were finally held from 28th December 2011 to 11th January 2012, in one of the centres of the Ministry of Justice. Judgements respecting child rights Assize Courts sessions should be held every four months according to the Guinean code of criminal justice procedure, and even four times a year according to the code for minors. Despite this, no Assize Court had been held for 17 months in the Guinean capital. After many approaches by Terre des hommes, new hearings could finally go ahead last month. In his opening speech, Mr Yaya Boiro, President of the Court of Appeal in Conakry, stressed the importance of respect for the rights of the child and reiterated all the relevant laws. He also appealed to his colleagues not to lose sight of the highest interest of the children at every step of their decisions. Fifteen youngsters now know their fate Eight dossiers for nine minors were on the agenda at these Assizes. The defence of all the adolescents was ensured through a collective of lawyers formed by Terre des hommes. At the end of seven days’ hearings, three minors were acquitted, five were sentenced to suspended sentences, and two to imprisonment. Six other teenagers whose files were ‘untraceable’ will be released provisionally after requests from Tdh were addressed to the Public Prosecutor of the Court of Appeal in Conakry. Terre des hommes will continue to press the appropriate authorities so that sessions of the Assize Courts will in future be held on a regular basis, and also to avoid that the youngsters are imprisoned illegally, sometimes for several years. Further Information: