By: Camp Correspondent
Yangon, Myanmar – February 16, 2025
Myanmar’s military council has released 936 Rohingya detainees from Insein Prison, according to the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM). The detainees were transferred via Yangon Port to Sittwe in Rakhine State, raising serious concerns about their fate amid the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
Forced Transfers and Possible Military Use
Local sources report that the released individuals were transported in six passenger vehicles from Insein Prison to Yangon Port before being sent to Sittwe—a region currently marked by conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA). Ko Thike Tun Oo, a leading member of PPNM, revealed that the Immigration Department visited the prison on February 15 to issue identity documents to the detainees prior to their release. He warned, “In recent days, Rohingya released from other prisons were gathered here, and this morning at 6:00 AM, they were transported to Sittwe. We believe that the men among them may be used in military operations.”
Among those released were women, children, and elderly people. Disturbingly, some detainees had already completed their sentences over a year ago but remained imprisoned without explanation. The military council has provided no clear justification for these prolonged detentions.
The Rohingya Crisis and Ongoing Persecution
The Rohingya, a persecuted ethnic minority in Myanmar, have endured decades of systematic oppression, denial of citizenship, and mass violence. The crisis reached its peak in 2017, when a brutal military crackdown in Rakhine State forced over 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh—an event the United Nations has described as genocide. Since then, thousands have been arrested and detained across Myanmar on charges such as illegal travel, despite being denied even basic rights.
International Legal Action Against Myanmar’s Military Leaders
This release comes just days after an Argentine court issued arrest warrants on February 13 for 23 Myanmar military officials—including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing—as well as former State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Htin Kyaw, for their roles in the 2017 atrocities.
Uncertain Future for the Released Rohingya
Human rights groups fear that many of the released Rohingya men may be forcibly conscripted into military operations as the regime faces escalating losses in its conflict with the AA. Attempts by RFA to contact the Deputy Director General’s Office of the Prison Department have so far gone unanswered. With the Rohingya crisis far from resolved, the future of these released prisoners remains deeply uncertain, heightening fears of forced recruitment, further displacement, or renewed persecution.
