UN Special Rapporteur refused entry to Myanmar

14 January 2019
UN Special Rapporteur refused entry to Myanmar
(File) Yanghee Lee, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, speaks during a press conference after she presented her report to the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 12 March 2018. Photo: Salvatore Di Nolfi/EPA

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, will visit Myanmar’s neighbours Thailand and Bangladesh from 14 to 24 January 2018. However, The Government of Myanmar has maintained its decision to cease cooperation with the Special Rapporteur, and refused her entry, according to a press release.

 “I still seek to engage with the Myanmar Government and I remain committed to my mandate to monitor the situation of human rights in Myanmar. I will continue to meet with people from Myanmar and speak out about human rights issues that occur around the country,” said Lee.

The Special Rapporteur will visit Thailand from 14 January and then travel to Bangladesh on 19 January where she will visit Dhaka and the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. She also plans to visit the island of Bhashan Char.

Lee will hold a news conference on 24 January at 5 pm at the Ascott Residence Hotel in Dhaka. Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.

The Special Rapporteur will present her finding and recommendations to the 40th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2019.