New York: Expressing concern over growing number of cases of illegal detention, United Nations human rights chief has called for an increased attention to the plight of such people including some one million children languishing in prisons around the world.

"Every day, around the world, there are hundreds of new cases of men, women and children being placed in detention, when they should not be sometimes in quite inhumane conditions," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay told reporters at her first press interaction after assuming the post last month.

Particularly highlighting the case of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate who has been under house arrest for the past 12 years, Pillay said that Kyi had in fact served a sentence "that far exceeds that served by many hardened criminals." Referring to the terrorist suspects detained by the US in Guantanamo Bay, the High Commissioner welcomed the decision of the American Supreme Court in June that the country's constitution extends to foreigners being held there and that they have the right to challenge their detention in the civilian court system.

 "Those detainees in Guantanamo, some of whom have been there for up to six years, have the right to a prompt review of the reasons for their detention. They also have an unequivocal right not to be sent to places where there is a risk of torture," she said. Pillay said that it was high time to take more effective action to reduce "this hidden, large-scale violation of human rights".

Source : PTI