Court Allows Myanmar Diplomat to Enter NZ for ASEAN Meeting

The High Court in Wellington has ruled that a diplomatic representative from Myanmar can enter New Zealand to attend an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting this week.

Five applicants, who are refugees from Myanmar, had sought an interim order to block the entry of any Myanmar government representative. They argued that allowing a representative of Myanmar's military junta would legitimize the regime, which has carried out widespread human rights abuses since seizing power in a 2021 coup.

However, in a judgment released today, Justice Palmer declined to grant the interim order. The court heard evidence that the person intending to travel is an accredited diplomat to New Zealand under international conventions. New Zealand laws require accredited diplomats to be granted entry visas.

Justice Palmer said there was no evidence to suggest any issue with the diplomat's accreditation. While acknowledging the applicants' concerns about Myanmar's human rights situation, the court found it could not block the entry on the limited evidence before it.

The applicants can still pursue a full judicial review case challenging the decision to accredit the diplomat, but were unsuccessful in their bid for urgent interim orders this week before the ASEAN meeting begins.