Kyaw Zwar Minn, the former ambassador of Myanmar to the United Kingdom, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to face charges of trespassing. The legal proceedings center on his refusal to vacate Myanmar House, the official diplomatic residence in northwest London, following his dismissal by the military government that seized power in a February 2021 coup.
The 68-year-old former envoy, who publicly denounced the coup and pledged his support to the opposition movement, has remained in the residence for years. Prosecutors have charged him with trespassing on diplomatic premises during the period between May 2021 and November 2024. During the court hearing, prosecutor Louise Oakley stated that Kyaw Zwar Minn was officially recalled shortly after the 2021 military takeover. She noted that the military administration had instructed him to hand over state-owned properties by mid-April 2021, a directive supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office.
"Having been granted permission to reside at Myanmar House as the ambassador, his refusal to vacate the diplomatic premises after he was removed from that position means that he is guilty of the offense of diplomatic trespass," Oakley argued. In response, defense lawyer David Perry maintained that his client views the current government of Myanmar as illegitimate and therefore lacking the legal authority to terminate his license to occupy the property or to manage the residence.
The prosecution further asserted that the National Unity Government, which the former ambassador aligns with, is not recognized by the British government. "This defendant may not recognize the outcome of the coup and the construction of the government in Myanmar – that, we submit, is irrelevant," Oakley added. The court heard evidence from Win Zeyar Tun, the chargé d’affaires at the Myanmar Embassy in London, as well as Eleanor Mackewn, the deputy director of protocol at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
The situation has presented a complex diplomatic challenge for the U.K. government, which previously condemned the coup. While the government initially declined to forcibly evict the former ambassador, his continued occupation eventually left authorities with little choice but to pursue legal action. The trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court is scheduled to resume on September 25.
The Myanmar embassy to the United Kingdom in London, July 31, 2021.
You have reached the limit of 2 free articles this month.
