"...Democracy requires a government that accepts scrutiny. It depends on leadership that actively combats hate speech and harmful misinformation. It requires a legal framework that guarantees these rights for all, without discrimination. In this regard, the democratic transition in Myanmar had barely begun and now it has come to a standstill. Repressive laws are being used to silence those that seek to scrutinize. We have verified instances of reprisals against individuals for sharing information with the United Nations. Peaceful protests are blocked, sometimes violently, as occurred in the village of Mrauk-U. While voices critical of the Government are muted by threats and arrest, hate speech is thriving, particularly against the Rohingya. Patience will not help Myanmar?s democratization, it will only help those that seek to derail it, as it has for over 70 years. This is the context in which we have undertaken our work. We have invested our deep, personal dedication, because we believe that Myanmar can change course and that establishing the facts is the first step. The victims have the right to the truth, and so do the people of Myanmar as a whole. We would have wished to discuss our work with the authorities. We regret that the Government of Myanmar chose not to cooperate with us. However, we have full confidence in our findings, which are based on a solid body of credible information gathered over an intensive year of work. What we found are crimes that shock the human conscience. We now turn to you, the distinguished members of the Council, to take actions commensurate with the gravity of the facts that we have presented..."