Fortify Rights and 16 survivors of atrocities crimes in Myanmar are filing a criminal complaint against Myanmar generals and others under the universal jurisdiction of another country.

As the second anniversary of the 1 February military coup d’état in Myanmar approaches, and following the Rohingya genocide and decades of atrocities throughout the country, perpetrators from the Myanmar military have yet to be held accountable for their crimes.

Fortify Rights and an ethnically diverse group of survivors and witnesses of atrocity crimes in Myanmar are filing a criminal complaint against senior Myanmar junta generals and others for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The complaint is being filed under the principle of universal jurisdiction in a country to be revealed at a press conference about the initiative being held at the Foreign Correspondents ’Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok on Tuesday 24 January. Approximately half of the complainants survived the Rohingya genocide in Rakhine State in 2016 and 2017 and half survived post-coup atrocities in states and regions throughout the country in 2021 and 2022. The complainants in the case represent several ethnicities in Myanmar, including Arakanese (Rakhine), Burman, Chin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, and Rohingya. Some remain in Myanmar, others have since fled to other countries.

The 215-page criminal complaint and more than 2,000 pages of annexes will be discussed in detail at the press conference. The event will also discuss the ways that this case can thwart impunity while complementing and not duplicating other important, ongoing accountability initiatives.

The press conference will be held at the FCCT at 11:00 a.m. Thai time on Tuesday 24 January. The event is open to the public and free of charge and will be broadcast live on the Fortify Rights and FCCT Facebook pages.