Rectify the inhumane and unhealthy detention of child refugees here by releasing them immediately, said the National Human Rights Society (Hakam).

Its refugee sub-committee member K Shan said the use of the Immigration Act on the children and their detention is "abhorrent and goes against the grain of international norms".

He was responding to a malaysiakini report that 42 child refugees are held together with their parents in the 14 immigration detention centres in the country.

Of the 39 boys and three girls, the youngest is a Rohingyan child less than three-years-old. The majority of others are between the ages of 13 and 17, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"Hakam calls on the Malaysian government for the immediate release of all 42 refugee children from detention and give effect to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of which Malaysia is a signatory," said Shan in a statement.

The convention provides that minors have certain rights including non-discrimination, free primary education, legal protection, right of nationality and must be given special protection.

Article 22, in particular, calls on parties to ensure that a child who is seeking refugee status or is considered a refugee be taken care of with applicable international or domestic laws and procedures and receive appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance in the enjoyment of rights.

Though refugees may be registered with the UNHCR, they are not exempted from the authorities' dragnet operations against undocumented migrants as the country is not a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees.