Rights groups reported on February 1, 2025, that Myanmar’s military government had released about 1,000 Rohingyas, a rare gesture of goodwill toward the persecuted community.
The decision came days after a court in Argentina called for arrest warrants for the junta chief and 22 military officials for crimes committed in the 2017 crackdown.
The Rohingya—an ethnic Muslim minority—account for nearly a third of Rakhine State’s population. Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, they have faced murder, torture, and persecution.
Additionally, the recent decision by the United States to freeze foreign aid has significantly impacted the humanitarian situation in Bangladesh, particularly affecting the 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
Many Southeast Asian countries have criticized Myanmar’s violent crackdown on dissent, while human rights groups accused it of widespread atrocities, including bombing civilians and torturing political prisoners.
In late December 2024, 28 Rohingya organizations issued a joint statement urging the military in Rakhine to “uphold and respect the rights of Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities.”
