Over 200 Rakhine Deportees From Malaysia Detained for Interrogation in Yangon
More than 200 ethnic Rakhine nationals recently deported from Malaysia have been transferred to a military facility in Yangon, where they are being held incommunicado and interrogated over alleged ties to the Arakan Army (AA), according to local sources and family members.
The 220 Rakhine detainees were among a first batch of 1,476 Myanmar nationals repatriated by sea from Malaysian immigration detention facilities on Sept. 29.
They arrived at Yangon’s Thilawa Port on the morning of Oct. 4.
Although junta authorities initially claimed returnees would be safely reunited with their families, sources confirmed that the Rakhine deportees were intercepted and taken directly to a facility in Hlaing Tharyar Township.
Relatives report having lost all contact with the group, raising severe concerns for their safety.
“Not a single Rakhine person is being released; they are all being interrogated regarding possible links to the AA,” a source close to the group told local media. “They are all currently being held at the Hlaing Tharyar center.”
The repatriation is part of a broader deal between Kuala Lumpur and the Myanmar junta to deport approximately 5,000 detained Myanmar migrants, with another 3,524 individuals awaiting transport.
The move has triggered severe international backlash. On Oct. 5, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) called on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to immediately suspend further deportations, warning that returnees face arbitrary detention, interrogation, and severe persecution rather than safe integration.
The detentions coincided with a two-day official visit to Malaysia by junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing to discuss labor repatriation and bilateral relations.
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