Human Rights and the Rehabilitation of Prisoners of War in the Cameroon Anglophone Armed Conflict: Progress, Pitfalls, and Prospects

2026-02-11T09:27:25+00:00

The rehabilitation of prisoners of war remains a critical component of human rights protection in armed conﬂict, yet it is frequently overlooked in both legal analysis and post-conﬂict policy design, particularly in non-international armed conﬂicts. In the context of the Anglophone Cameroon crisis, the capture, detention, release, and reintegration of conﬂict-related detainees have generated complex legal and humanitarian questions. This article examines the rehabilitation of prisoners of war in the Anglophone Cameroon armed conﬂict through the combined lenses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Adopting a doctrinal and qualitative analytical approach, the study evaluates the applicable legal frameworks and appraises existing rehabilitation measures by assessing progress achieved, identifying persistent pitfalls, and exploring future prospects. The analysis demonstrates that while notable progress has been made through State-led amnesty initiatives, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes, and humanitarian interventions, significant challenges persist. These include legal ambiguity surrounding prisoner classification, fragmented institutional implementation, insuﬃcient psychosocial and socio-economic support, and enduring social stigma. The article argues that without a comprehensive, rights-based and institutionalized rehabilitation framework, current efforts risk falling short of restoring human dignity and contributing to sustainable peace. It concludes by proposing legal, institutional, and policy reforms aimed at strengthening rehabilitation practices in conformity with international human rights standards and the long-term resolution of the Anglophone Cameroon crisis.

Defense Dilemmas for Juvenile Offenders and Corresponding Solutions—A Case Study of the Two-Tier People’s Courts in City D, Province Y

2026-02-11T09:29:52+00:00

The issue of effective legal representation for juvenile offenders in China remains at the exploratory stage in both legislation and judicial practice. Therefore, through an empirical study of a representative region, this paper seeks to infer broader patterns from specific observations. It identifies several current dilemmas in realizing effective defense for juvenile offenders in China. These include: a fragmented and unclear legal and regulatory framework; a lack of unified guiding principles for judicial practice; a shortage of qualified defense counsel; the ineffectiveness of defense efforts; excessive caseload pressure on trial organizations impacting defense quality; and the influence of the juvenile offenders’ own circumstances on their legal defense. The root causes are analyzed as: a criminal procedure ethos overly focused on crime suppression; issues of professional ethics among defense lawyers and the risks associated with criminal defense work; and excessive social control pressures on criminal prosecution authorities. Consequently, measures should be implemented to further safeguard the effective legal representation of juvenile offenders in China. These include improving the legal framework concerning the right to defense for juveniles, establishing a specialized defense force for juvenile delinquency cases, optimizing judicial philosophies and systems related to juvenile trials, and strengthening legal aid mechanisms for minors.

Studies in Law and Justice

Human Rights and the Rehabilitation of Prisoners of War in the Cameroon Anglophone Armed Conflict: Progress, Pitfalls, and Prospects

Defense Dilemmas for Juvenile Offenders and Corresponding Solutions—A Case Study of the Two-Tier People’s Courts in City D, Province Y