fbpx

(CANBERRA—On November 8, 2022)—In a hearing in the Australian Parliament on collaboration between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Myanmar junta’s police force, Australian Senator Jordon Steele-John cited Fortify Rights’s 196-page report with the Schell Center at Yale Law School, “Nowhere is Safe,” which exposes atrocity crimes committed by the Myanmar police and others following the February 1, 2021 coup d’état. 

Senator Steele-John asked an official from the AFP, “Are you aware of the contents of the report produced by the Schell Center for International Human Rights in coordination with Fortify Rights, that was released in March this year?”  

The Senator continued: “Well if you had read that report, you would know that there are many members of the Myanmar police force who are directly implicated in some of the most vile human rights abuses currently being perpetrated against the people of Myanmar, who are right now fighting back against a brutal military dictatorship. Is the Australian government or the AFP aware of any police officials that have been trained by Australia who may be responsible for the crimes listed in this report?”

Since the coup in Myanmar, Australia was criticized for failing to impose sanctions on the Myanmar junta, such as those imposed by the U.S., U.K., E.U., and others, not to mention its controversial engagement with the Myanmar Police Force.On February 1, 2023, on the second anniversary of the coup, the Australian Government finally announced it was imposing “targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on individuals responsible for egregious human rights abuses in Myanmar, as well as sanctions on entities enabling the repression of its people.” The Government sanctioned 16 members of the Myanmar military junta “as key individuals directly responsible for the coup d’état two years ago today.” Australia also imposed targeted financial sanctions against two Myanmar military controlled entities, Myanmar Economic Public Holdings Ltd and Myanmar Economic Corporation. 

Stay Updated!


Subscribe to our mailing to receive periodic updates on human rights issues where we work.