"Message from the Head of the Mechanism: Since we issued our previous Bulletin in March 2021, the ongoing, open-ended nature of our mandate has never been more relevant. Following events that unfolded in Myanmar after the military seized power in February 2021, we said that we would closely follow the situation in the country and that if there are indications that serious international crimes or violations of international law are being committed, we would fulfill our mandate to collect evidence and build criminal case files to hold perpetrators to account. Unfortunately, since that statement, much violence has taken place throughout Myanmar. The violence motivated individuals and organisations to send to the Mechanism over 210,000 communications, most containing information about the use of force against protestors or arbitrary arrests. The Mechanism has been preserving and organising this information, monitoring public reports, contacting individuals and entities, and consulting with specialised experts to assist in the analysis of the information that we have collected about the post-coup violence. While the preliminary information that we have collected to date requires further verification and analysis, we are of the preliminary view that the events since 1 February fall within the Mechanism’s mandate to collect evidence of serious international crimes and violations of international law. The preliminary information indicates that Myanmar security forces have carried out a widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population since seizing power on 1 February 2021. The Mechanism is actively working to verify and substantiate the information so far received. Once substantiated and complemented by further evidence of the actions and intent of culpable individuals, the evidence can be used to build files to hold responsible persons to account for crimes against humanity. In accordance with our mandate, the Mechanism will continue to collect evidence which can be used in courts or tribunals to prove the criminal responsibility of individual perpetrators, to the high standards of proof necessary for conviction in criminal cases. The events of the past few months remind us of the risks of the continuing cycle of impunity in Myanmar. Those responsible for crimes against the people of Myanmar must be held to account, regardless of whether the victims are Bamar, Rohingya or from any other ethnicity. The Mechanism is committed to playing our role to facilitate justice and accountability for these crimes, and hope that our work can help to prevent further atrocities. We will continue to reach out to Member States, including Myanmar and its neighbours, to cooperate with us so that we may access witnesses, victims and other sources of information, without fear of reprisal, intimidation or attack..."