By Camp Correspondent
March 2, 2025
Buthidaung, Myanmar – The Myanmar military has sentenced more than 100 Rohingya, including women and children, to two years in prison after arresting them while they attempted to flee Rakhine State in hopes of reaching Thailand.
The group has now been transferred to Kawthaung Jail in Tanintharyi Region, at the southernmost point of the country.
Arrested While Attempting to Leave Myanmar
The group, consisting of 97 men and women and five children, was arrested on February 5 while hiding in an oil palm plantation in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State.
Local sources reported that they had been planning to travel to Thailand but were intercepted by Myanmar’s military.
After over two weeks in detention, the Buthidaung Township Court sentenced them on February 21 under Myanmar’s Registration Act, citing their lack of official identification documents.
The following day, February 22, authorities transported them to Kawthaung Prison in the far south of Myanmar.
A Rohingya resident expressed concern over their fate, stating:
“Only the military knows what will happen to them when they are released. Sentencing children to prison is completely unjust.”
Military Crackdown on Rohingya Movement
Rohingya attempting to escape Myanmar face severe travel restrictions and risk arrest if caught without legal documents.
“This is the first time that people traveling illegally to Thailand have been arrested in Buthidaung Township, and the fact that they are Rohingya could be a key reason,” said a resident from Taung Khamat village tract.
During the arrest, the Myanmar military opened fire on the group, killing one Rohingya man on the spot and seriously injuring six others.
The wounded were taken to Buthidaung Township Hospital, but two more men later died from their injuries.
Concerns Over Persecution
The sentencing of Rohingya individuals, including children, highlights the continued persecution they face under Myanmar’s military rule.
Despite international condemnation, Myanmar’s authorities continue to restrict Rohingya movement and punish those attempting to flee the country.
Rights groups have called for an urgent review of the sentencing and the release of the detained Rohingya, particularly the children, who now face an uncertain future in Kawthaung Prison.
