Human Rights Myanmar issued a statement on 17 February regarding its submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar concerning the killing, torture, and persecution of persons with disabilities (PWD) in Myanmar.

The report highlights the escalation in human rights violations against persons with disabilities in Myanmar since the 2021 coup.

It notes the systematic disregard by the military junta for domestic law and Myanmar’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Noting that persons with disabilities experience widespread violations across many areas, Human Rights Myanmar concentrated on what it considers to be the most egregious abuses of their right to life in their submission to the UN Special Rapporteur.

Through their focus on executions, extrajudicial killings, and brutal mistreatment in detention, the group exposes how persons with disabilities are perceived and treated by the military.

The violations also reflect broader patterns of violence and discrimination against this group of people.

Human Rights Myanmar says the “deliberate targeting and disproportionate harm inflicted on PWD constitutes a clear violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, amounting to crimes against humanity and war crimes.”