Myanmar Refugees File Complaint Against Military Authorities In German Court - Reports

Sixteen refugees from Myanmar have filed a complaint with a German criminal court, accusing Myanmar's military government of inciting genocide against the Rohingya Muslims and other atrocities, the Channel NewsAsia broadcaster reported on Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2023) Sixteen refugees from Myanmar have filed a complaint with a German criminal court, accusing Myanmar's military government of inciting genocide against the Rohingya Muslims and other atrocities, the Channel NewsAsia broadcaster reported on Tuesday.

The human rights group Fortify Rights, which supported the complaint, said that Germany was chosen because of its recognition of the principle of universal jurisdiction, according to which a German court can try those accused of serious international crimes.

"The complaint provides new evidence proving that the Myanmar military systematically killed, raped, tortured, imprisoned, disappeared, persecuted, and committed other acts that amount to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes," the head of the group, Matthew Smith, said during a news conference in Bangkok, as quoted by the broadcaster.

He expressed hope that the German authorities would consider the complaint and launch an investigation.

In predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, many Rohingya do not have Myanmar citizenship because they are considered in this country as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, despite the fact that several generations of Rohingya have lived in Myanmar.

The mass illegal migration of Rohingya to Myanmar's neighboring countries began in 2017 after a massive operation by the Myanmar armed forces in Rakhine against Rohingya rebels who attacked several police posts and army bases. More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar military and anti-Muslim extremists to neighboring Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia.