Madam President,

The European Union thanks the Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) for the third annual report and for his oral update.

The EU shares the deep concern expressed in the report about the widespread violations of human rights committed in Myanmar. We reiterate our strong support to the mandate of the Mechanism to collect evidence of serious international crimes and violations of international law and facilitate criminal proceedings in order to ensure accountability of those responsible. We call on Myanmar to cooperate with the mandate of the IIMM and to provide meaningful and unhindered access to relevant sources of information and locations.

The European Union condemns again, in the strongest terms, After the military coup of 1 February. Since then,, the human rights, humanitarian, and security situations have quickly deteriorated due to the indiscriminate attacks by the military forces against the civilian population, threatening the lives of thousands of people in Myanmar. The EU condemns in the strongest terms the use of force violence against peaceful protesters and civilians, as well as the widespread instances of arbitrary arrest, torture, sexual and gender based violence, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings, and calls on the Myanmar armed forces to immediately halt the use of violence against civilians and to allow the population to exercise their rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

In light of the growing number of reports of severe human rights abuses and violations, the EU considers it important to ensure the Mechanism has the necessary capacity and expertise to fulfil its mandate.

Mr. Koumjian,

In the report you mention that the Mechanism is seeking to enhance its capacities to collect and analyse financial information as part of its broader investigations into crimes within its mandate and that this is expected to complement the Mechanism’s criminal investigations in several ways, including in identifying potential perpetrators, criminal motives and modes of liability, and in establishing jurisdictional elements.

Could you elaborate on this?

Thank you.