Rohingya Boys Being Tortured

Rohingya boy tied up by police in the Arakan state of Burma in October 2013.

Two Rohingya boys were arrested on 31st December under the false accusation of murdering a police officer. It is known that some Rohingya did get involved in a fight during that period but they deny hitting the policeman who allegedly died from the attack (it was previously reported by the Rohingya that the policeman who is reported as being killed was actually a good man who was liked by the Rohingya, so there is some suspicion over this reported death as to how it actually happened), however those people involved in that incident have since fled and these boys are in no way related to them or the incident.

The two boys are Muhammad Karim age 14 (originally reported as age 13 but later confirmed as age 14) son of Elyas and Amir Husan son of Shukur age 16 (originally reported as age 12 but later confirmed as age 16) . They are understood be be from Thichaung Village. They were visiting family in Bodhuba village, very close to the cemetery where an incident with the police occured, which they had nothing to do with.

They are being held at Sittwe (number 1) police station. It is reported that they are being tortured and are left alone in a cold room without clothes. They need urgent help.

Details received over Twitter from @aungaungsittwe are as follows:

@JamilaHanan @Playfunkymusic 1.Urgent help needed! 2 #Rohingya, Muhammad Karim, s/o Elyas 13yrs+ Amir Husan, s/o Shukur, 12yrs w atrested
— Aung Aung (@Aungaungsittwe) January 6, 2014

@JamilaHanan @Playfunkymusic 2.Those 2 boys w arrested as suspected murderer of police on 31.12.14, police torturing them, pull out nails
— Aung Aung (@Aungaungsittwe) January 6, 2014

@JamilaHanan @Playfunkymusic 3. They r kept in cold place w-out dress, pl help or they w die soon, in No1,PoliceStation,Sittwe Ph-04321504
— Aung Aung (@Aungaungsittwe) January 6, 2014

@JamilaHanan @Playfunkymusic Those w innocent, they dudn't involve, #Rohingya w fought w police ran away, police knew that
— Aung Aung (@Aungaungsittwe) January 6, 2014

@JamilaHanan @Playfunkymusic Some1 told police ,those boys r relatives of #Rohingya w fought, actually not, they don't know him
— Aung Aung (@Aungaungsittwe) January 6, 2014

@JamilaHanan @Playfunkymusic I know w is the person w fought w police but he said he didn't hit the police w died,he hit another P w hammar
— Aung Aung (@Aungaungsittwe) January 6, 2014

We are requesting urgent help to save these two boys. If you are an authority please do what you can and also call Sittwe police station to request the urgent release of these boys. If you are a member of the public please contact your own politicians, media and organisations to ask them to raise an urgent alert to release these boys and call for an inquiry, and also to call the Burmese government to cease their state persecution of the Rohingya.

You may also wish to contact the UN to call for an urgent commission of inquiry into the genocide of the Rohingya by filling in the form here http://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/adviser/contactform.asp?address=1