A legal case has been filed in Indonesia, accusing Myanmar’s newly declared president Min Aung Hlaing of genocide, which marks a potentially significant step in international accountability efforts over atrocities against the Rohingya community.

The complaint was submitted on Monday to Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office, alleging the military leader’s involvement in widespread violence, killings, and persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The case was initiated by Rohingya refugee Yasmin Ullah, alongside several prominent Indonesian figures.

According to Reuters, Indonesian law allows courts to exercise jurisdiction over serious international crimes even if they were committed outside the country. Plaintiffs say prosecutors have already accepted the case for consideration, an unprecedented move under the country’s legal framework.

Yasmin Ullah described the development as a milestone, noting that this is the first time Indonesia has taken up such a case under its universal jurisdiction provisions. She emphasized that the move could open a new pathway toward justice for Rohingya victims, many of whom remain displaced across the region.

The case also underscores growing regional tensions. Both Myanmar and Indonesia are members of the ASEAN, but relations have become increasingly strained amid the ongoing Rohingya crisis and Myanmar’s continued military rule.

So far, neither Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office nor Myanmar’s military authorities have issued an official response to the case.

BOB Post