Argentine court to hear Rohingya case

According to a UK-based Rohingya advocacy group, an Argentine court is set to conduct a case over the persecution of the Rohingyas.

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) while calling it a "historic step" said the case against the Myanmar military includes Min Aung Hlaing and the current junta’s senior leadership.

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The federal court in Buenos Aires had confirmed to launch the case against senior Myanmar officials under the principle of universal jurisdiction, it said.

The group had earlier petitioned the court in November 2019. "Under the principle of universal jurisdiction such crimes can be investigated anywhere in the world regardless of where they were committed," the group said.

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The Argentine court will reportedly investigate the "full range of crimes committed against the Rohingyas in Myanmar".

The Rohingya victims are also set to appear in court to testify. The case relates to the crackdown on Rohingyas in 2017 which had led over 730,000 people to flee the country into Bangladesh as Myanmar's armed forces allegedly targeted the Rohingyas in Rakhine state.

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There were widespread reports of alleged atrocities committed by Myanmar's military against the Rohingyas which had led to worldwide condemnation. The UN had called the persecution genocide as thousands of men, women and children were displaced.

The UN Security Council had recently expressed concern over clashes between the military and militants from various groups in the Rakhine state which had hampered the return of Rohingyas.

(With inputs from Agencies)