LUMUT, Malaysia — Malaysia on Tuesday deported more than 1,000 Myanmar detainees back to their strife-torn homeland just weeks after a coup, despite a court order halting the repatriation and a storm of criticism.
The migrants, whom activists say include vulnerable asylum seekers, departed on three Myanmar navy ships from a Malaysian military base after arriving on packed trucks and buses under police escort.
The United States, the United Nations and rights groups had criticized the plan, while hours before the deportation a Kuala Lumpur court ordered it be temporarily halted to allow a legal challenge.
Activists were set to argue it should not go ahead as Malaysia would b…
Keep on reading: Malaysia deports over 1,000 Myanmar nationals, defying court order