To: Member and Observer states of the UN Human Rights Council

Open Letter

Subject: Urgent action needed on Myanmar

Dear Excellencies

Jointly submitted by

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)

Statement of Purpose            

Joint Statement by 68 organisations

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, condemn the arrest, detention and prosecution of six people, including three journalists, under the 1908 Unlawful Associations Act in Myanmar. We demand that the charges against them are dropped and that the three journalists are immediately and unconditionally released, as they have been detained solely in connection with their peaceful journalistic activities.

Index: ASA 16/6130/2017

Dear Your Excellency,

We, the undersigned, call on States, including the United States, United Kingdom and the member states of the European Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to strongly encourage the Myanmar government to fully cooperate with the forthcoming Fact-Finding Mission into the human rights situation in Rakhine State, as well as active conflict areas in Kachin State and northern Shan State, as recently mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

To:

Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council

Geneva, 3 March 2017

RE: UN-MANDATED INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY OR SIMILAR INTERNTIONAL MECHANISM TO INVESTIGATE SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN RAKHINE STATE, MYANMAR

Excellencies,