Myanmar junta chief faces crimes against humanity charge for Rohingya deaths

Arrest warrant requested by International Criminal Court

- MAROOSHA MUZAFFAR

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader for crimes against humanity linked to the persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

General Min Aung Hlaing – who overthrew elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup – faces accusations of crimes against humanity for orchestrating the deportation and persecution of the Rohingya minority.

In a statement, the ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan said that the court has been investigating alleged crimes committed during the 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Rakhine state, Myanmar, and the subsequent exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

“After an extensive inquiry, the ICC has found reasonable grounds to believe that Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing is criminally responsible for crimes against humanity, including deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed with the involvement of Myanmar’s military and police forces,” Mr Khan said.

The application for his arrest – the first targeting a high-ranking Myanmar official – is supported by witness testimonies, documents, and scientific evidence, with crucial backing from the Rohingya community, the Bangladeshi government, and the UN, the ICC chief prosecutor said.