An Argentine court has issued arrest warrants for Myanmar's military junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, former President Win Myint, democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and 22 other military officials. The warrants, issued on February 13, 2025, are related to the alleged genocide against the Rohingya population in 2017, according to Al Jazeera.
The arrest warrant list includes Min Aung Hlaing, the current junta leader, along with former President Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as 22 other senior military officers. Min Aung Hlaing has been leading Myanmar’s military junta since it seized power in a coup in 2021.
Amnesty International has reported that the Rohingya people continue to face racial persecution in Myanmar. In 2017, the country’s notorious military forces carried out a brutal genocide against the Rohingya community in Rakhine State, bordering Bangladesh, which led to over a million Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh for safety.
At the time of the attacks, Aung San Suu Kyi was the democratically elected leader of Myanmar. After the military coup in 2021, she was imprisoned. Min Aung Hlaing, who was in charge of the military during the 2017 violence, is accused of overseeing mass killings, torture, and sexual violence against the Rohingya.
A group advocating for Rohingya rights recently filed a complaint with an Argentine court, which led to the issuance of arrest warrants for Min Aung Hlaing and the other Myanmar officials.
In response, Myanmar's military junta has expressed strong criticism of Argentina's actions. Military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun questioned, "Does Argentina even know Myanmar? Myanmar knows Argentina. We suggest that if they wish to criticize Myanmar according to the law, they should first appoint the necessary judges to fill vacant positions within their own judicial system."
Additionally, an international arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing has been requested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the Rohingya genocide. In November of last year, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan filed this request, alleging that Min Aung Hlaing was involved in crimes against humanity during the 2017 genocide.
The ICC has been investigating the violence in Rakhine State from 2016-17 for the past five years. Between August 25 and December 31, 2017, Myanmar's military, national police, border guards, and certain local groups collaborated to carry out these crimes against humanity.
