Arakan Army Imprisons Two Rohingya Young Boys for 27 Years Each in Buthidaung Township

Arakan Now | 19 May 2025

Two young Rohingya boys, including a 16-year-old boy, have been sentenced to 27 years in prison by the Arakan Army (AA), facing brutal treatment and false accusations. The harsh sentences highlight the severe and often overlooked plight of Rohingya detainees in Arakan.

Tariq Jamil, 16, the son of Huson from Ward 1, Buthidaung, was abducted by AA fighters on 5 May 2024 from Sein Yin Pyin village, where his family had taken shelter after their home in downtown Buthidaung was set on fire by the AA on 17 May of the same year.

Since his capture, Tariq has been held in a Buthidaung prison, where he has endured over eight months of severe physical and psychological torture. Sources say he has been subjected to electric shocks and other forms of inhumane abuse, despite his young age.

Despite lacking any evidence, Tariq was later sentenced to 27 years in prison on charges of supporting the Myanmar military junta and setting fire to Rakhine homes – accusations his family and local residents strongly deny.

One of his fellow prisoners, recently released, described Tariq’s suffering: “He is a victim of cruel injustice, caught in the crossfire of a conflict he had no part in. His wrongful imprisonment has shattered his family and stolen his future before it even had a chance to begin.”

Mohammed Rashed, 22, the son of Nur Mohammad from Ward 1, Buthidaung, suffered a similar fate. He was abducted by the Arakan Army on 17 May 2024 from Ward 5 and, like Tariq, faced brutal abuse before being sentenced to 27 years in prison.

According to a former prisoner who spoke with Arakan Now, more than 700 Rohingya remain detained by the Arakan Army, facing extreme physical abuse, forced labor, restricted religious freedom, and harsh prison conditions. The former prisoner reported that many detainees suffer electric shocks, severe beatings, and relentless psychological pressure.

The stories of Tariq and Rashed underscore the broader plight of the Rohingya in Arakan, where many continue to face persecution, torture, and unjust imprisonment.

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