BAGHDAD 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday accused the Iraqi authorities of arbitrarily arresting and torturing hundreds of children suspected of affiliation with the Daesh terrorist group.

"The prosecutions are often based on dubious accusations and forced confessions obtained through torture," the New York-based rights group said in a statement.

The Iraqi authorities usually deny such accusations by international human rights organizations and assert on compliance with the constitution.

"Children accused of affiliation with ISIS [Daesh] are being detained, and often tortured and prosecuted, regardless of their actual level of involvement with the group," Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director for HRW, said.

Becker warned against "lifelong negative consequences for many of these children".

"International law recognizes children recruited by armed groups primarily as victims who should be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society," HRW said.

Shortly after its sudden appearance in mid-2014, the notorious terrorist group overran vast swathes of territory in northern Syria and northern and western Iraq.

In late 2017, Baghdad declared victory over Daesh following a three-year war that ended with the fall of Mosul, the group’s last remaining stronghold in Iraq.

Writing by Mahmoud Barakat