Friday, 12 March 2021, 6:49 am
GENEVA (11 March 2021) – The Myanmar junta’s brutal
response to peaceful protests likely meets the legal
threshold for crimes against humanity, a UN expert told the
Human Rights Council today, calling for a united global
response in the country’s hour of need.
“The
people of Myanmar need not only words of support but
supportive action,” said Tom Andrews, the UN Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
“They need the help of the international community,
now.”
Andrews stressed that a growing body of
reporting indicates that the junta’s security forces are
committing acts of murder, imprisonment, persecution and
Statement by Thomas H. Andrews UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar United Nations Human Rights Council
Format
Madam President, Distinguished members of the United Nations Human Rights Council,
One month ago, I addressed this body in a special session on the crisis in Myanmar. At that time, ten days after the illegal military coup d’état had begun, I reported that the junta had murdered one individual and arbitrarily detained over 200. In the written report that I filed last week, I documented a total of 23 murders. Credible reports indicate that, as of today, Myanmar security forces have murdered at least 70 people.
The United Nations human rights investigator on Myanmar said on Thursday the military junta had "murdered" at least 70 people since its Feb. 1 coup, committing killings, torture and persecution that may constitute crimes against humanity.
The United Nations human rights investigator on Myanmar said on Thursday the military junta had "murdered" at least 70 people since its Feb. 1 coup, perpetrating killings, torture and persecution that may constitute crimes against humanity.
Myanmar's junta added new bribery allegations to its charges against deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, while an advocacy group said security forces killed 12 protesters in one of the deadliest days since the military took power.