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Asia Justice Coalition and Opinio Juris (2021): The Current Crisis in Myanmar: Legal Implications

From 27 September - 1 October 2021, Asia Justice Coalition and Opinio Juris curated a virtual symposium titled: ‘The Current Crisis in Myanmar: Legal Implications’. This joint event is a follow-up to its 2020 online symposium and aimed to mark the eight months since the illegal coup by the Myanmar military on 1 February 2021. Myanmar faces multiple crises at the moment – mass atrocities being committed by the security forces on a daily basis, a devastating Covid-19 pandemic, ongoing armed conflicts in various parts of Myanmar, the continued marginalization of many minorities, and proceedings at international courts related to the Rohingya.

In the light of the same, the aim of the symposium was to: (i) highlight and broaden the discussion to include the post-Coup issues related to international justice and accountability for Myanmar and Rohingya; and (ii) foster engagement by and between members of the Coalition.

The symposium was built on the pressing reports and observations of the IIMM, OHCHR, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar concerning the take-over by the military in February 2021 and the resulting repression, including the commission of what may amount to crimes against humanity. It also focused on the question of recognition of the National Unity Government – including an analysis of what the credentials process at the UN General Assembly means, and the implications of this question in a submission before the International Criminal Court. Lastly, the scope of alternative international justice mechanisms including the universal jurisdiction, and an update on the ongoing genocide case before the Argentinian Court was addressed.


The symposium witnessed 7 posts by 9 contributors. They included AJC’s Secretariat staff Jennifer Keene-McCann as well as representatives of AJC members such as Kingsley Abbott (ICJ), Tun Khin (BROUK), Antonia Mulvey (LAW), Grant Shubin (GJC), Shayna Bauchner (HRW), and others.


Click here to read all contributions.

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