Can we hold child soldiers criminally responsible for international crimes? The question is very relevant given that while international criminal law has now developed mechanisms to prosecute, convict and punish those who commit violations of international law, these mechanisms cannot be applied regardless of age. This article focuses on the prosecution and conviction of child soldiers. The author examines the issue through the prism of a specific court decision, Prosecutor c. X, a 2002-decision rendered by the hybrid tribunal set up to try serious crimes committed in Timor-Leste. The author argues that the prosecutorial model adopted in this case should not be followed in international law as the child soldier did not benefit from any substantive or procedural measures designed specifically for minors, even though such measures are widely accepted in national criminal justice systems.