Geneva: The UN's top human rights body opened an urgent session on Friday to discuss a military coup in Myanmar, facing a call for the release of people arbitrarily detained including civilian government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and more action by UN officials to increase scrutiny of the country.
The Human Rights Council has no power to impose sanctions but can train a potent political spotlight on rights abuses and violations. Friday's session comes shortly after the Biden administration, which has already imposed sanctions on top coup leaders, revived US participation at the 47-member Geneva body.
The seizure of power by the Myanmar military earlier this month constitutes a profound setback for the country after a decade of hard-won gains in its democratic transition, said the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada al-Nashif.
A draft resolution, presented by Britain and the European Union, calls for the immediate and unconditional release" of Suu Kyi, the leader of the civilian government, and other top officials in her government, a lifting of restrictions on the internet and unimpeded humanitarian access, among other things.
The resolution also calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, to give the independent UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, increased assistance, resources and expertise" to carry out his job.
The US on Thursday slapped sanctions on 10 current and former military officers and three entities in Myanmar who led the recent coup against the democratically elected government and detained its leaders Aung San Suu Kyi and Win
Myint.