Arakan News Agency
The organization “Fortify Rights” on Tuesday urged Malaysian authorities to expedite the dismissal of charges against 11 survivors, 9 of whom are Rohingya, from a boat sinking incident at the maritime border with Thailand, stressing that prosecuting them represents a violation of human rights.
“Yap Lay Seng,” Senior Human Rights Specialist at the organization, stated that the Rohingya refugees are fleeing ongoing genocide, and some may be victims of human trafficking. He added, “They should not be criminalized for their irregular entry or punished for circumstances beyond their control.”
He considered that these charges stain Malaysia’s human rights record, calling on the authorities to provide urgent protection for the survivors of the Langkawi boat tragedy instead of prosecuting them.
Last Wednesday, Malaysian authorities charged 11 survivors from a boat sinking near “Langkawi” with illegal entry, following the announcement of the end of the search operations for migrants missing after their boat sank. The authorities retrieved 36 bodies, rescued 14 survivors, most of whom are Rohingya, while dozens remain missing.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) expressed deep sorrow over the sinking of a boat carrying about 70 people, mostly Rohingya, off the coasts of Malaysia and Thailand, resulting in at least 21 deaths. Thirteen others were rescued, and the fate of the remaining passengers remains unknown.
