Thirteen Myanmar nationals deported from the United States since last month are being held in a notorious interrogation centre in Yangon, Myanmar Now has learned.
The detainees are among 20 individuals—16 men and four women—that the administration of US President Donald Trump has handed over to Myanmar’s military junta since April, according to a military source.
Thirteen of the deportees arrived at Yangon International Airport in April, and another seven in May, the source added.
“They were arrested as soon as they arrived at the airport and sent to the Aung Tha Pyay interrogation centre. Most are ethnic Karen or Chin; a few are other ethnicities. They didn’t have any Myanmar-related identification documents,” the source said.
While four men and three women who were among the first to be deported have since been released, the others remain in custody at the interrogation centre, he said.
The centre is regarded as one of the worst in the country for its brutal treatment of detainees. The interrogation of the deportees is reportedly being supervised by the Office of the Chief of Military Security Affairs, the junta’s military intelligence unit.
Located in Mayangone Township, less than four miles from Yangon International Airport, the centre is notorious as the place where many protesters were tortured and killed in the wake of the February 2021 coup.
According to Myanmar Now’s source, the US government has notified the junta of its plans to deport a total of 27 Myanmar nationals. This is believed to include two that the regime said in a statement released on March 21 had arrived earlier that month.
Details regarding the identities of the deportees and the reasons for their deportation could not be ascertained at the time of reporting.
Junta spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which handles immigration control, did not respond to requests for information regarding the detainees.
Since returning to office in January, US President Trump has signed a number of executive orders that have adversely impacted those affected by military rule in Myanmar, including asylum seekers and others forced to flee the country.
On his first day back as president, Trump declared a national emergency to enable his administration to carry out a crackdown on undocumented foreigners. He also announced the temporary suspension of refugee resettlement programs and the closure of agencies, such as the US Agency for International Development, that have long supported Myanmar nationals living in neighbouring countries.
Earlier this month, the DHS deported eight people from various countries, including two Myanmar nationals, to South Sudan, in a move that has faced legal challenges and widespread condemnation.
