On February 2, 2026 judicial authorities in Timor Leste have responded favorably to a petition from civil society to open criminal legal proceedings against the Myanmar junta. The criminal investigation will focus on war crimes and crimes against humanity. ARNO applauds these official steps taken by Timor Leste, which is a member of ASEAN and whose people understand the importance of justice and accountability particularly given the history that the young nation has faced. ARNO hopes that this will embolden and inspire other members of ASEAN to emphasize justice and accountability as a priority when dealing with the junta which is emboldened by its long-standing impunity.
ARNO further congratulates the tenacity of civil society groups such as Chin Human Rights Organization, which have continued at every turn to ensure justice and accountability remain at the forefront in responding to the junta, especially for its egregious crimes against our Chin brothers and sisters.
ARNO continues to patiently wait for a positive decision from the International Court of Justice in hopes that this will embolden many judiciaries around the world to utilize universal jurisdiction to interrupt the severe rights violations which continue to take place against the people of Myanmar at the hands of the Myanmar junta.
For more information, please contact:
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO)
Email: arno@rohingya.org | info@rohingya.org