UN experts decry incommunicado detentions, alleged torture in Myanmar

UN rights experts voiced alarm Tuesday at the Myanmar military's incommunicado detention of Rakhine men and boys, as well as allegations of torture and deaths in custody.

They voiced grave concern at reports that numerous ethnic Rakhine men and boys had recently been taken into custody and held incommunicado for weeks at a time over terrorism allegations, with many reporting they were tortured while detained.

"The practice of incommunicado detention must be immediately brought to an end," the three experts, who are independent and do not speak for the world body, said in a statement.

"There must be a credible independent investigation into the allegations of torture and inhuman treatment, deaths in custody, and reliance on forced confessions in cases involving Arakan army-related allegations," they said.

"All perpetrators of such violations must be held accountable."
They said they were particularly concerned about cases of incommunicado detention in light of reports "regarding at least 15 deaths in custody of men alleged to be associates of the Arakan army."