UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has raised questions about whether the decisions to return of Myanmar nationals from Malaysia were genuinely free and informed.
In a statement issued from Geneva on Wednesday, it has expressed concerns over Malaysia’s recent return of 1,476 people to Myanmar amid the country’s continuing conflict and dire human rights and humanitarian situation.
Malaysia repatriated the first batch of 5,000 Rohingya to Myanmar on Tuesday in Myanmar Navy ships.
Malaysia had more than 126,000 Rohingya refugees as of February 2026, making it the second-largest host country after Bangladesh.
The Myanmar military has repeatedly carried out crackdowns against the country’s Rohingya minority. Bangladesh is currently hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya, most of whom fled a military crackdown in Rakhine State in 2017.
Rights groups strongly criticised the Malaysian move, saying conditions in Myanmar were not safe for the return of Rohingya.
In the statement, UNHCR assistant high commissioner for protection Edem Wosornu said, ‘We are concerned by these returns at a time when people sent back to Myanmar may face serious risks, and some within the group may be in need of international protection.’
‘While authorities say the returns are voluntary, those returned had been held in immigration detention. This raises serious questions about whether decisions to return were genuinely free and informed. UNHCR did not have access to the individuals to assess this.’
UNHCR fully recognises Malaysia’s sovereign responsibility to manage asylum and migration.
However, UNHCR urges Malaysia to ensure that all returns are subject to robust safeguards, including individual assessments and access to protection procedures.
‘Decisions to return must be voluntary and assessed outside detention settings,’ Wosornu said.
Under the principle of non-refoulement, no one should be returned to a country where they may face persecution, torture or other serious threats to their life or freedom, the statement added.
It said until conditions in Myanmar allow for safe, dignified and sustainable returns, States must continue to provide access to asylum and uphold international protection obligations.
UNHCR remains ready to work with Malaysia to strengthen national asylum and protection arrangements.
‘Greater regional and international support is needed to advance a political solution to the crisis and end the hostilities in Myanmar,’ UNHCR said.
It called on the international community to maintain support for countries in the region hosting refugees from Myanmar.
