Myanmar Junta Releases Nearly 1,000 Rohingya Following New Order Issued by Argentinian Court

Myanmar’s military government has released nearly 1,000 Rohingya prisoners, a rare gesture towards the persecuted minority, RFA reported citing a human rights group. The release coincided with an Argentine court’s call for arrest warrants against junta leaders for crimes committed during a 2017 crackdown on the Rohingya.

The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar reported that the released individuals, including 267 women and 67 children, were primarily detained after the military coup in 2021. Many were imprisoned for violating movement restrictions. They are expected to be transported from Yangon to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state.

Concerns have been raised that the released Rohingya may be pressured to join junta forces in ongoing conflicts with the Arakan Army, a local insurgent group. Analysts suggest the junta’s actions are an attempt to improve its image following international scrutiny over its treatment of the Rohingya, which has been labeled as genocide by various human rights organizations.