Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) (TIP): A Malaysian court has allowed a temporary stay of deportation of 1,200 Myanmar nationals scheduled to be sent back to their strife-torn homeland on Tuesday, after rights groups petitioned to say deportation could endanger their lives.

The 1,200 detainees were set to leave on Tuesday afternoon in three navy ships sent by Myanmar’s military, which seized power in a February 1 coup, sparking weeks of protests from pro-democracy activists.

Refugee groups say asylum seekers from the minority Chin, Kachin and non-Rohingya Muslim communities fleeing conflict and persecution at home are among those being deported.

An immigration truck carrying Myanmar migrants to be deported from Malaysia is seen in Lumut, Malaysia, on February 23, 2021. REUTERS

Amnesty International, which along with Asylum Access had asked the courts to stop the deportation, said the high court granted a stay until 10 am Wednesday, when it will hear the groups’ application for judicial review to suspend the deportation.

“In light of the court ruling, the government must respect the court order and ensure that not one of the 1,200 individuals is deported today,” Katrina Maliamauv, Amnesty Malaysia director, said in a statement. (Reuters)