Letter, No A002_/2024

Date: 30 January 2024

                                              R4R Press Statement

The Rohingya Human Rights Initiative (R4R) Strongly Condemns Coldblooded Murder of Rohingya Refugee in India

The Rohingya Human Rights Initiative (R4R) expresses deep sorrow and condemns in the strongest terms the coldblooded murder of 24-year-old Rohingya refugee, Mohammad Ibrahim, on January 28, 2024, in India’s Telangana state.

In accordance to the police statement, Ibrahim was brutally killed by two locals, one of whom had a previous murder case booked against them in 2022. Three days prior to the murder, Ibrahim's mobile phone was robbed by the accused, and when he approached them to retrieve it, he was fatally attacked. Ibrahim succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the Osmania Hospital in Telangana.

Ibrahim sought refuge in India in 2017 during the genocidal violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar. Although initially detained at the border, he was later released after being registered with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Ibrahim, a daily wage labourer, had been married to a Rohingya refugee for a year and leaves behind a two-month-old daughter. He lived with his extended family, including aged parents and four siblings. While two individuals accused of Ibrahim's murder have been arrested, the family reports not receiving an FIR copy or any discharge paper from the hospital.

India, not being a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention or the 1967 Additional Protocol, lacks a comprehensive refugee protection policy. Since 2017, at least 763 Rohingya refugees have been arrested and held in prolonged detention centers across India due to the government's announcement to deport all Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar.

Ibrahim's murder highlights an additional layer of threats faced by Rohingya refugees, who are increasingly targeted by local criminal elements. Community members have reported that the accused had a track record of harassing, abusing, and regularly robbing refugees in the locality.

R4R urgently calls upon the UNHCR and its partners to intervene in this matter to ensure protection. We also request local authorities to provide security to the affected family, ensure justice, and address the threats faced by Rohingya refugees in the area. We urge the community to cooperate with local authorities and maintain harmony during this challenging time.

In the aftermath of Ibrahim's murder, the community has protested, and the police have assured justice. The family reports receiving threats from gang members and urgently requests relocation to a safer environment.

R4R remains committed to advocating for the rights and protection of Rohingya refugees and calls for immediate action to address the growing threats faced by this vulnerable community.

For further inquiries, please contact:

By 

Rohingya Human Rights Initiative (ROHRIngya)

30 January 2024