Argentina's new youth criminal law faces constitutional challenge

Human‑rights groups in Argentina announced they will file a constitutional challenge to Law No. 27801, the new Youth Criminal Responsibility Law set to take effect on 5 September. The law lowers the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14, aligns penalties with those for adults and permits self‑incrimination, which the plaintiffs say breaches international agreements and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The conference in La Plata was led by Ricardo Berenguer, defender of the Youth Criminal Responsibility jurisdiction, who stated: “Lo que estamos planteando es la inconstitucionalidad y la incompatibilidad con la Convención de los Derechos del Niño, porque reduce la edad de punibilidad”. Opponents warn the measure will overload an already strained prison system and argue it responds to political demagogy rather than the low level of actual youth crime.

The coalition includes the CTA Autonomous Province of Buenos Aires, the International Prison Observatory, the Forum for Children’s Rights and other NGOs, all urging the courts to declare the law void.