Irrawaddy-Dec 17
Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur for Myanmar’s human rights, has called for international governments to back the arrest warrant for Myanmar’s junta boss Min Aung Hlaing. The United Nations envoy on Monday met the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan in The Hague.
Last month Khan requested the court’s judges grant a warrant for Min Aung Hlaing over alleged crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2017. “The prosecutor’s recent decision is an important step forward but much more needs to be done to ensure robust accountability for the staggering catalogue of crimes committed in Myanmar,” Andrews said.
The American envoy said ICC member states should reassess their relationships with Myanmar’s regime now an arrest warrant has been issued. “Min Aung Hlaing is not only accused of crimes against the Rohingya, he is also responsible for ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity across Myanmar. He must be stopped and held accountable,” Andrews said. He said jurisdictional limitations prevent the ICC case from addressing other atrocities, including those committed following the 2021 coup. “Min Aung Hlaing is on notice that he and his brutal military junta can’t hide from justice. But the international community must act swiftly,” he added. Myanmar’s regime has killed an estimated 6,056 people and detained around 27,888 since 2021, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners that monitors the junta. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmars-crisis-the-world/un-envoy-demands-international-action-to-arrest-myanmar-junta-boss.html
