CSW submission to Burma Universal Periodic Review

CSW’s submission for Myanmar’s 2015 Universal Periodic Review, due in November 2015, outlines the lack of legal protection for religious and ethnic minorities and illustrates the discrimination and persecution they face. It highlights the abuse of laws intended to protect religion from insult and the poor treatment of Special Rapporteurs and human rights defenders.

The Universal Periodic Review is a human rights peer review process established by the Human Rights Council in 2006. Under the UPR process, the human rights record of each member state is examined in every 4.5 years. The UPR provides also opportunities for civil society to highlights human rights concerns across the world.

Key highlights:

• Myanmar has continued to violate fundamental human rights to its people and its national legislation continues to discriminate against ethnic and religious minorities.
• The state has overseen religious discrimination and even played an active role in advancing it.
• Religious and ethnic minorities have continued to face discrimination in all parts of the country, and persecution in several regions.
• Since the last the UPR review, war has resumed in Kachin and Shan states and is continuing into its fourth year.
• CSW is gravely concerned over the use of existing laws to prosecute people deemed to have insulted religion.
• The freedom and safety of both international and national human rights observers and defenders remains a key concern.

CSW’s recommends that the government of Myanmar:

• Removes all legal and bureaucratic restrictions, ensuring basic religious freedom for all people.
• Issues an invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief to visit the country.
• Conducts an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into all allegations of serious human rights abuses.
• Releases all those imprisoned for ‘insulting’ Buddhism and repeals Article 295(a) and Article 298 of the penal code.
• Undertakes immediate efforts to end the harassment of human rights defenders and provides safe and unhindered access for both international and national human rights monitors.

Download a copy of the report here.