This is a compilation of Minimum Age of criminal responsibility of countries in Asia.
Each country in Asia has a different Minimum age of criminal liability. If a 6 year old Singaporean child commits a crime. He or she cannot be legally sued in any court, because in Singapore, the minimum age is 7 years old. He or she may go to a rehabilitation center or depending on the country’s law on how to penalize an offending minor under 7 years old.
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The Philippines has a proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 15 to 9 years old.
Country |
Minimum age |
|
Afghanistan |
12 |
|
Bahrain |
15 |
|
Bangladesh |
9 |
|
Bhutan |
10 |
|
Brunei Darussalam |
7 |
|
Cambodia |
14 |
|
China |
16 |
|
Hong Kong Special Autonomous Region |
10 |
|
Macau Special Autonomous Region |
12; Under 16 are exempted from punishment |
|
India |
12 |
|
Indonesia |
8 |
|
Iran |
15 for boys; 9 for girls |
|
Iraq |
9 |
|
Israel |
12 |
|
Japan |
11 |
|
Jordan |
7 |
|
Kazakhstan |
16 |
|
North Korea
|
14 |
|
South Korea |
14 |
|
Kuwait |
7 |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
16 |
|
Laos |
15 |
|
Lebanon |
7 |
|
Malaysia |
10; Muslim minors can be held criminally responsible from the onset of puberty. |
|
Maldives |
15 |
|
Mongolia |
16 |
|
Myanmar |
7 |
|
Nepal |
10 |
|
Oman |
9 |
|
Pakistan |
7 |
|
Palestine |
12 |
|
Philippines |
15; there’s a proposal to lower it to 9 |
|
Qatar |
7 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
12 |
|
Singapore |
7; ages 7-12 not liable unless “attained sufficient maturity of understanding to judge the nature and consequence of [their] conduct on that occasion.” |
|
Sri Lanka |
12; ages 12-14 not liable unless “attained sufficient maturity of understanding to judge the nature and consequence of [their] conduct on that occasion.” |
|
Syria |
10 |
|
Tajikistan |
16; 14 for some violent offences |
|
Thailand |
7; age below 14 cannot be punished |
|
Timor-Leste |
16 |
|
Turkmenistan |
16; 14 for some offences |
|
United Arab Emirates |
7; children at the onset of puberty based on Sharia Law |
|
Uzbekistan |
16; 13 for killing; 14 for some offences |
|
Viet Nam |
16; 14 for some offences |
|
Yemen |
7 |
Source: CRIN.org
