Rohingya refugees due to be caned after unlawfully entering Malaysia have sentence revoked
- Laura Gooding
- Jul 25, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 13, 2020
What happened?
27 male Rohingya refugees from the Rakhine State, Myanmar territory in a bid to flee violence and systematic persecution have had their caning sentence overturned by the Malaysian High Court on Wednesday 22nd July.
In June, a total of 40 Rohingya refugees were arrested for unlawfully entering the North-western Island of Langkawi, just off the mainland of Malaysia, on the grounds of failing to possess work permits.
Malaysia, a state which does not currently recognise refugees, has increasingly rejected their boats to minimise pressure on its economy and contain the spread of COVID-19 in Asia.
Prior to the High Court’s judgement, Malaysia’s decision to penalise these 27 of the Rohingya refugees was sharply criticised by Amnesty International. “The plan to viciously beat Rohingya refugees is not only cruel and inhuman- its unlawful under international standards.” said Amnesty’s Malaysia researcher Rachel Chhoa-Howard.
Collin Andrew, the lawyer for these 27 spared male refugees has described the High Court’s ruling on Wednesday as “laudable, as it demonstrates the promotion and protection of human rights by the High Court.”
However, Malaysia has been and continues to be accused of human rights abuses committed by the police and military and is yet to legally agree to the prohibition of torture, enshrined in the 1985 UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The Malaysian foreign ministry endorses the view that a continuing lack of accountability of Myanmar officials on an international platform, is prevented by the political reluctance of Myanmar’s government and bars the Rohingya minority from accessing essential protection and justice against systematic persecution at the hands of the Myanmar Burmese armed forces.
Who are the Rohingya peoples?
Historically, the systematic persecution of the Rohingya Muslim peoples in the Rakhine state of Myanmar dates to the late 1970’s in Myanmar.
As a religious minority in a state comprised of predominately practising Buddhists and Christians, the Rohingya peoples have been subjected to “ethnic cleansing” by the Myanmar Burmese military, which they have blatantly maintained never happened.
The campaign against the Rohingya peoples has surged since 2016, when 9 police were murdered in the Rakhine state border by a Rohingya rebel group. According to the Human Rights Watch World Report 2019, approximately 730,000 Rohingya people have been forced to flee the Rakhine state to neighbouring territories such as Bangladesh, pursuant to their genocide, property destruction of mosques and villages, sexual violence and torture.
How can you help?
Petitions
1) Amnesty International, Rohingya refugees need immediate protection of their rights
2) Refugees International, Call it Genocide: Act for the Rohingya
Education:
1) Vox, “The ethnic cleansing of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, explained.”
2) The Diplomat, “Shifting Politics of Rohingya Refugees in Malaysia.”
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