Argentina has issued an international arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s Senior General and military leader, over his involvement in the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya people. The decision, made public on Thursday, also includes two civilian leaders, such as Aung San Suu Kyi, and 22 military officials.
Min Aung Hlaing, who assumed control of Myanmar’s military junta after a 2021 coup, faces serious charges. These include aggravated murder, torture, and sexual violence tied to the Myanmar military’s violent suppression of the Rohingya population in Rakhine State, which borders Bangladesh.
Myanmar’s military junta has not yet issued an official response to the warrants, but a spokesperson, General Zaw Min Tun, dismissed Argentina’s legal authority. He questioned whether Argentina had jurisdiction over Myanmar, suggesting the country focus on its own judicial issues before criticizing Myanmar.
This legal action stems from a case initiated in 2019 under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows any nation to prosecute individuals for grave violations of international law. The Burmese Rohingya Organisation U.K. (BROUK), which filed the original complaint, commended the court’s ruling as a victory for justice. BROUK president Tun Khin remarked that the ruling shows even military leaders guilty of genocide are not above the law.
The 2017 military offensive against the Rohingya followed attacks by insurgents on police outposts. The military’s response included mass killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of villages, driving over 700,000 Rohingya refugees to neighboring Bangladesh. The UN and human rights groups have called the military’s actions genocide.
In addition to the Argentine warrant, Min Aung Hlaing is also facing charges of crimes against humanity following a similar arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court issued last year. The Argentine ruling is a significant move, but it has sparked debate, especially concerning the jurisdictional authority over other leaders involved in the crisis.
