The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has announced plans to seek an arrest warrant for Myanmarโs military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, for alleged crimes against humanity, including the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority.
In a statement, the ICC prosecutor said, "This is the first time my office has requested an arrest warrant for a high-ranking Myanmar official. More will follow." Nicholas Koumjian, the head of the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, stated, "This sends a strong message to perpetrators of impunity that no one, not even the highest-ranking military official in Myanmar, is above the law."
As the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar military, Min Aung Hlaing is one of the most powerful figures in the country. The military wields significant influence over the civilian government, and the 2008 constitution grants it control over key ministries and ensures military representation in parliament.
Min Aung Hlaing has been accused of overseeing a brutal campaign against the Rohingya minority in Rakhine State, which began in 2016 after attacks by Rohingya insurgents. The military and police have been accused of carrying out mass killings, gang rapes, and widespread destruction of villages, forcing over a million Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. The United States and the United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on him in response to these atrocities.
The military seized power in a coup on February 1, 2021, detaining President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi . The coup has been met with widespread condemnation from the international community and has sparked a nationwide civil disobedience movement. The military has responded with a brutal crackdown on dissent, killing thousands of civilians and arresting tens of thousands more.
Since the coup, at least 5990 people, including more than 675 children and 1288 women have been killed due to the military crackdown on anti-coup protests as of November 27 2024, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a rights group tracking deaths and detentions. At least 27726 people have been arrested.
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