Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, a 17 year old young offender, stands accused of high severity crimes, ordinarily an indictment levied against adults. Due to the gravity of these crimes, it is imperative that our justice system adapts to ensure that serious crimes do not go unpunished and are dealt with the appropriate severity. While cognizant of the Convention on the Rights of the Child that affirms "every child alleged as, accused of, or recognized as having infringed penal law" has the right to be treated in a manner consistent with their age, we must also consider the circumstances surrounding Axel's charges. If his crimes are as serious as they appear, they breach the moral limitations of what child penal law foresees, calling for a realignment of legal procedures and penalties applicable in such cases. It is, therefore, essential that Axel Muganwa Rudakubana be tried as an adult under the law. Your signature today will demand justice for Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, as well as the ten other people injured in this horrific attack. We need your help to ensure the gravity of these crimes doesn't fall into the cracks of child protective laws.
(Source: Convention on the Rights of a Child, UN, 1989)