The Elements of the Crime of Child Abduction in Light of Law No. 15-12 on the Protection of Children

Abstract

Given the seriousness of the crime of child abduction and its harmful consequences for the child, the family, and society as a whole, most legal systems have sought to criminalize abduction and impose severe penalties intended to curb its occurrence. However, their approaches differ in this regard. Some legislations adopt a broader scope of criminalization by expanding the meaning of the act of abduction, whereas others limit the scope by narrowly defining the meaning of this act. Such differences in legislative approaches may be attributed to the determination of the victim’s age or gender, whether male or female.

Algerian legislation has also paid particular attention to the phenomenon of child abduction, taking into consideration the characteristics that distinguish children from adults, particularly their physical weakness and limited mental capacities.