Young Rohingya Man from Buthidaung Dies from Injuries Sustained Under Torture in AA Custody.
Muhammad Arshad, a young Rohingya man from Buthidaung Township who had been detained by the Arakan Army (AA), has died on July 26, in a refugee camp in neighboring Bangladesh. His death resulted from injuries and illnesses he sustained due to torture during his time in AA custody, according to reports.
Muhammad Arshad was arbitrarily arrested by the AA on May 29, 2024. Locals from Buthidaung who are close to his family told AEN that he was severely beaten and coerced into confessing to crimes he did not commit before being imprisoned.
He was reportedly detained and tortured for around seven months—from the end of May 2024 to the end of December 2024—while held in an AA detention facility.
“A lot of Rohingya youth, not just Muhammad Arshad, have been arbitrarily detained and tortured in AA detention centers. It’s a targeted campaign,” said another young Rohingya resident of Buthidaung Township.
Although Muhammad Arshad was eventually released alive from the AA facility, he fled to Bangladesh to seek medical treatment for the physical and mental trauma he endured. Despite receiving some treatment, he passed away today.
Speaking to WSnews, U Saw Lin, Director of Rohingya Labs—a group collecting evidence of war crimes in Buthidaung—said:
“Numerous atrocities were committed by the AA during the Buthidaung incidents. Muhammad Arshad survived over seven months after being released from detention. Another young Rohingya man, 23-year-old Rofiqadel, son of Rofiq from Ward 5 of Buthidaung, was taken by AA in late October 2024. The AA members told his parents not to worry, saying he was only being summoned to the township office for questioning and would be sent back soon. However, on November 11, his corpse was returned by the same AA members who had taken him.”
“Rofiqadel was brutally killed. His body showed signs of deep bruises and severe trauma, indicating he had been tortured until just before his death. Witnesses who saw his body confirmed this,” U Saw Lin added.
He emphasized that the AA must be held accountable for these grave crimes, and that justice and truth must ultimately prevail.
Photo Caption: 22-year-old Muhammad Arshad, who died from injuries and illnesses caused by torture in an AA detention facility.
