Bangkok, Thailand
CNN
–
One beauty queen from Myanmar, who took refuge in Thailand after criticizing her country’s military, has left Bangkok for Canada, where she is expected to seek asylum, Thai immigration officials told CNN.
Han Lay, 23, captured international attention with her emotional speech during the finale of Miss Grand International Myanmar 2021 as she held up a banner reading “Pray for Myanmar” to raise Realize about committed human rights atrocities of military officials.
She received death threats after the speech and decided not to return home after the contest, which was held in Thailand.
However, she appears to be facing deportation after returning to Thailand last Wednesday from a trip to Vietnam. Officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport stopped her, who said they discovered the problem with her passport and that she has since lived in limbo.
Archayon Kraithong, deputy director of Thailand’s immigration department, told CNN on Wednesday that Han Lay left Bangkok on Tuesday night. “Her final destination was Canada,” he said without giving further details.
Han Lay previously told CNN that she is applying for political asylum in Canada despite wanting to stay in Thailand.
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said: “Han Lay was the victim of a deliberate political act that rendered her stateless when she flew back from Vietnam to Thailand. last week” time” military officials “weaponized” Burmese passports.
Robertson added: “There is no doubt that what unfolded was a trap to try to force Han Lay back to Myanmar, where she would face immediate arrest, potentially abuse. used in detention and imprisonment”.
The situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate following the military coup in 2021. Human rights groups say and highlight human rights abuses are still rife. The execution is back as conflicts broke out across the country.
Millions continue to oppose the ruling government led by Min Aung Hlaing, which has killed hundreds of pro-democracy protesters and locked up democratically elected leader of the country Aung San Suu Kyi.
