Imagen de Archivo del alto comisionado de la ONU para los derechos humanos, Volker Türk. EFE/EPA/MARTIAL TREZZINI
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued a report on September 2 calling for the UN Security Council to refer Myanmar’s situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as conditions in the country continue to deteriorate. The report highlights the worsening human rights situation in Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine State, where atrocities similar to those committed by the military in 2017 – including killings, torture, village raids, and mass displacement – are increasing in frequency.
Since the military coup in 2021 through August 2025, the military junta has killed approximately 7,100 civilians, with about one-third being women and children. At least 29,560 people have been arrested on political grounds, with over 22,000 remaining in detention. In Rakhine State, hundreds have fled their homes since the escalation of conflict, with approximately 150,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh since November 2023, adding to the nearly one million who had previously fled due to military persecution.
The report details several incidents of severe violations by the military, including targeting civilian homes, villages, schools, and IDP camps. On May 12, 2025, a military airstrike on a school killed 24 civilians, including 16 girls, 6 boys, and 2 teachers. The military has conducted 640 airstrikes on schools since 2021, deliberately targeting public institutions to instill fear in the population. Despite declaring a ceasefire following an earthquake on March 28, 2025, the military conducted over 550 attacks, resulting in more than 480 civilian deaths.
The High Commissioner emphasized that the ongoing violations of international law are a direct result of prevailing impunity and strongly urged the UN Security Council to refer Myanmar’s situation to the ICC. The report, covering 14 months until May 31, 2025, documents that civilian casualties throughout the country are primarily the result of military airstrikes. Both Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine communities continue to suffer from indiscriminate attacks, forced displacement, conscription, disappearances, arrests, and denial of humanitarian aid, with systematic destruction of homes and infrastructure. The situation mirrors the devastating events of 2017, creating an endless cycle of suffering for the civilian population.
