Myanmar Mechanism joins the European Genocide Network as an Associate

On 9 November 2021, the European Network for investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (‘Genocide Network’) granted Associate Status to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, providing the Mechanism with opportunities for closer cooperation with national investigative and prosecutorial authorities in Europe.

This decision was taken at the Network’s most recent plenary meeting in November 2021. Mr. Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Mechanism, also participated in the meeting and discussed the Mechanism’s cooperation with national authorities.

The Genocide Network was established in 2002 and reinforced in 2003 by the Council of the European Union to enable close cooperation between the national authorities when investigating and prosecuting the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Genocide Network’s mandate is to ensure that perpetrators do not attain impunity within the Member States.

The Mechanism has already engaged with a number of Member States of the Genocide Network to seek their cooperation for the Mechanism’s collection of information and evidence from individuals and entities within their territory. The Mechanism will also share information in its possession relevant to serious international crimes committed in Myanmar with national authorities  who may exercise jurisdiction on the basis of some form of universal jurisdiction.

Through access to the Genocide Network, the Mechanism hopes to raise awareness of serious international crimes committed in Myanmar and enable national investigations and prosecutions of such crimes in Europe.  The Mechanism will also greatly benefit from and contribute to the Network’s objective of exchanging good practices, experience and methods relating to the investigation, judicial cooperation and prosecution of relevant crimes and facilitating close coordination for the effective and efficient investigation and prosecution of such crimes.