Myanmar’s military has executed four democracy activists, including a former legislator from Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, AFP reported on Monday, citing state media.
The four men are Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former legislator, Kyaw Min Yu, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw.
They were executed for leading “brutal and inhumane terror acts”, AFP reported, citing Global New Light of Myanmar. The state-run newspaper also said the executions were carried out under the prison’s procedure, without saying when or how the four men were killed.
The Myanmar military had staged a coup in February 2020 after it refused to accept the elected government, citing unsubstantiated allegations of fraud. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy had emerged victorious during the national elections.
As protests followed the takeover, the military sentenced dozens of anti-coup activists to death. However, no executions were carried out so far.
The Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, an independent non-profit organisation, said the last judicial executions in Myanmar were done in the late 1980s, reported Reuters.
The organisation says that over 2,100 residents have been killed by the security forces since the coup. However, the junta says the figure is exaggerated.
Sentenced without right to appeal: UN
The executions have drawn criticism from human rights groups.
Tom Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur for the human rights situation in Myanmar, said that the four men were tried, convicted and sentenced without the right to appeal in violation of international human rights laws.
“These depraved acts must act as a turning point for the international community,” Andrews said in a statement. “What more must the junta do before the international community is willing to take strong action?”
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described the executions as “a blatant violation to the right to life, liberty and security of person”.
Myanmar’s National Unity government, which is in exile, said that its members were “extremely saddened” and “condemn the junta’s cruelty with strongest terms”, reported Deutsche Welle. Spokesperson Kyaw Zaw said that the global community must “punish their cruelty”.
International Crisis Group Myanmar analyst Richard Horsey said with the executions, any possibility to end the crisis resulting from the coup has now been removed.
“[Myanmar’s junta] sees this as a demonstration of strength, but it may be a serious miscalculation,” he added.
The military has dismissed the criticism, calling it “reckless and interfering”.
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