Czechs may try children as young as 10 for murder

Prague: The Czech Republic`s justice
minister says she is working toward reducing the age at which
a person can be tried for murder to 10 years old.
Daniela Kovarova spoke today after meeting the mayor
of Kmetineves, a town northwest of Prague where a 13-year-old
boy raped and murdered a girl of the same age six years ago.
The attacker was released from a juvenile facility
this year. The town`s mayor initiated a petition demanding the
age of criminal responsibility be reduced, and more than
400,000 Czechs signed it.

The age is currently 15. Major parties in the country
agree it should be lowered. Kovarova said a committee would be
formed to draft legislation to do so.

PTI