Rohingya Refugees Held Indefinitely in Malaysian Detention Centers: Report

Photo: Collected

Arakan Now, March 12, 2026

Thousands of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are being held for prolonged periods in overcrowded immigration detention centers without proper legal protection, according to a new investigation by Fortify Rights.

The report says Malaysia’s Immigration Detention Centers (IDCs) currently hold more than 21,000 migrants and refugees, including 8,884 people from Myanmar, among them 5,102 Rohingya.

Investigators found that many Rohingya detainees are held indefinitely without access to lawyers, courts, or judicial review, effectively leaving them in legal limbo.

Former detainees described severe overcrowding, violence by officers, lack of medical care, and limited food and clean water inside detention facilities.

Human rights groups also documented cases of minors, pregnant women, and families being detained for long periods, with some detainees reportedly held for seven to eight years.

Malaysia introduced a new refugee registration system on January 1, 2026, known as the Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian (DPP), replacing registration previously handled by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Fortify Rights called on the Malaysian government to end the criminalization of refugees for “illegal entry,” recognize Rohingya persecution in Myanmar, and release detainees held indefinitely.