Four death sentences were carried out in Myanmar, where a military junta is in power following a coup. In what are the first executions in the Asian country in almost 50 years, among others, Phyo Zeya Thawformer parliamentarian of the National League for Democracy, the party of the former leader Aung San Suu Kyi e Kyaw Min Yualso known as Ko Jimmya well-known pro-democracy activist.
As reported by the Global New Light of Myanmarthe four had been convicted of “brutal and inhuman acts of terrorism” and the executions were carried out “according to the prison procedure”, without adding any details.
The four death sentences, as well as the other 111 issued by the junta courts between the coup d’état of February 1, 2021 and May 19 of this year, have sparked criticism from international human rights organizations. For Human Rights Watch this is an act of “utmost cruelty”.
“These executions are another example of the dire human rights situation in Myanmar. The four men were sentenced by a military court in secret and deeply unfair trials. The international community must act immediately as more than 100 people are believed to be in the death row after being sentenced in similar proceedings, “commented the regional director of Amnesty International, Erwin van der Borgt.