Argentine Court arrest warrants for 25 Myanmar Officials
An Argentine federal criminal court has issued international arrest warrants for 25 Myanmar officials, both military and civilian, in connection with alleged crimes against the Rohingya Muslim minority. This action, taken on February 13, 2025, is based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing national courts to prosecute serious international crimes regardless of where they were committed.
Key individuals named in the arrest warrants include:
- Senior General Min Aung Hlaing: Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar’s military and current junta leader.
- Soe Win: Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the military.
- Aung San Suu Kyi: Former State Counsellor and de facto civilian leader during the 2017 military operations against the Rohingya.
- Htin Kyaw: Former President of Myanmar.
The remaining individuals are military officials who held various positions during the 2017 operations in Rakhine State. Specific names and ranks of these officials have not been publicly disclosed.
These arrest warrants for 25 Myanmar Officials stem from a case initiated in 2019 by the Burmese Rohingya Organization UK (BROUK), seeking accountability for the atrocities committed against the Rohingya. The Argentine court’s decision marks a significant step in international efforts to address allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity in Myanmar.
The Myanmar junta has dismissed Argentina’s legal authority over its leaders, questioning the jurisdiction and suggesting that Argentina address its own judicial matters first.
This development follows a previous move by the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor in November 2024, seeking an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing on charges of crimes against humanity related to the persecution of the Rohingya.
The principle of universal jurisdiction allows national courts to prosecute individuals for serious crimes that violate international law, even if those crimes occurred outside their borders.
The issuance of these arrest warrants represents a landmark moment in the pursuit of justice for the Rohingya people and highlights the global community’s commitment to addressing serious human rights violations.
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