El 13 de febrero de 2025, una jueza argentina, María Romilda Servini de Cubria, dictó órdenes de detención contra 25 funcionarios militares y civiles de Myanmar, entre ellos el comandante en jefe Min Aung Hlaing y el comandante en jefe adjunto Soe Win, por la presunta comisión de genocidio y delitos como asesinato con agravantes, abusos sexuales y tortura contra los rohingya. Es la primera vez que se emiten órdenes de detención públicas en un caso de jurisdicción universal en el que se juzgan crímenes contra los rohingya, lo que representa un paso significativo hacia la justicia.

On 13 February 2025, an Argentine judge, Hon. Marìa Romilda Servini de Cubria, issued arrest warrants for 25 Myanmar military and civilian officials, including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing and Deputy Commander- in-Chief Soe Win, for allegedly committing genocide and crimes including aggravated murder, sexual abuse, and torture against the Rohingy. This is the first time that public warrants have been issued in a universal jurisdiction case adjudicating crimes against the Rohingya, representing a significant step towards justice. The case stems from a November 2019 complaint filed in Argentina by Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) alleging genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya since 2012, including murder, enforced disappearance, torture, sexual violence, and imprisonment (an earlier Q&A about the case is here). This effort to provide Rohingya survivors and communities with justice and accountability is notable for having been driven and led entirely by the Rohingya community itself.

Gender-discriminatory laws and policies, and impunity for sexual and gender-based crimes, have long been the norm in Myanmar. Since independence in 1948, successive military regimes have perpetuated systemic discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The 2021 military coup greatly exacerbated gender-based discrimination and violence against women and people with diverse gender identities, and put an immediate end to any attempts to reform or eliminate these structural barriers to equality.

Sexual violence “has been particularly egregious” in Myanmar and warrants this Honorable Court’s attention. The purpose of this submission is twofold to: present this Court with the international and regionally recognized principles and practices in relation to interviewing and engaging with victims and witnesses of sexual violence and; to set out international and regional standards applicable to assessing evidence of sexual violence.