KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s deportation of 150 Myanmar nationals earlier this month is in breach of the international non-refoulement principle, said Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, who chairs the Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar.
The deportation on October 6, which included six defectors from the Myanmar military, is also “tragic” as Malaysia had played a leading role in speaking about the human rights of citizens there, he said in a statement.
The six defectors, he added, have now been imprisoned and may face capital punishment.
“Asylum seekers were sent back to their country of origin at risk of their lives and security.
“We urge the government of Malaysia to immediately halt all further deportations to Myanmar until it can be assured that adequate procedures to access asylum claims have been conducted.
“The Malaysian government should take immediate measures to ensure that it does not further violate the principle of non-refoulement,” Syed Hamid said.
He also listed recent known incidents of killings by the military junta that included children, as well as the executions of democracy activists.
Reuters reported on the October 6 deportation two days ago, and that the six defectors from the Myanmar navy had been arrested in Malaysia last month.
The news agency also said at least three of the former military officers had applied for refugee status from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Malaysia.
Myanmar is again under a military government following the coup against the elected government in February last year. – The Vibes, October 21, 2022
