UN rights expert Lee begins Bangladesh visit tomorrow

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee arrives here on a 10-day visit tomorrow to meet Rohingyas in various locations of Cox's Bazar.

Lee bemoaned that the government of Myanmar continues to deny her access despite the call by the Human Rights Council for Myanmar to cooperate with her mandate, according to a message UNB received from Geneva on Thursday.

She is determined to reach out as much as possible to victims of human rights abuses in Myanmar who are located elsewhere and other locations in order to learn more about their experiences to understand better the human rights situation in Myanmar.

The Special Rapporteur is planning to spend several days in Dhaka meeting UN and government officials and then travel to Cox's Bazar where she intends to meet UN agencies, the humanitarian and protection sector, health and GBV actors, NGOs and government officials.

She also intends to visit various other locations, including Bashan Char Island.

Following her visit to Bangladesh, the human rights expert will issue an end-of-mission statement and share her findings when she presents a report to the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in October 2018.

A press conference will be held at the end of the Special Rapporteur's visit on July 8 in a city hotel.

Yanghee Lee was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014 as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.