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The military junta that controls Myanmar on Tuesday, July 26, described as “legal” the executions of four pro-democracy activists, including a former lawmaker from the party of the ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Army defends the murders that were reported a day earlier, at a time when the avalanche of international criticism and the demand for sanctions against it is growing.
Despite growing outrage over the executions of four political prisoners, Myanmar’s military junta rejects the criticism and says it has exercised “justice for the people.”
“The trial was legal (…) These criminals had the opportunity to defend themselves,” said Army spokesman Zaw Min Tun.
The military junta, which took full power after the coup on February 1, 2021, announced on Monday that it executed four political prisoners, after allegedly helping a civil resistance movement, in the framework of the protests that were unleashed in the country against the military.
The alleged actions were classified as “terrorist” in closed trials, in which the military authorities ruled the first executions in the country in decades.
The men killed were: Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former MP from ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party and pro-democracy activists Hla Myo Aung, Aung Thura Zaw Y Kyaw Min Yu.
The latter, better known as Ko Jimmy, was a recognized leader in defense of civil liberties and one of the leaders of the Generation 88 Student Group, veterans of a failed popular uprising in 1988 against the military government.
Their deaths occurred despite multiple requests for mercy from the international community, including United Nations experts, who have denounced the ongoing repression by the security forces against anyone who speaks out against them.
“We knew that the executions would generate criticism, but it was done for justice. It is wrong that they accuse us of acting against democracy (…) They deserve many death sentences,” insisted Min Tun, amid the avalanche of reproaches from governments and organizations of human rights.
It is still unclear how the executions were carried out or the exact date they took place. Relatives of the victims told the local newspaper ‘Myanmar Now’ that officials at the prison where the men were being held informed them on Monday that the law does not require them to hand over their bodies.
“Crimes against humanity” and “mockery” for peace: Condemnation against Myanmar grows
The news caused the outrage of different governments such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as the European Union, which accuse the military junta of cruelty.
In addition and despite the repression, some citizens went out to demonstrate against the executions in cities such as Yangon, the largest in Burmese territory. Protests were also reported in front of the Myanmar embassy, in Bangkok and on the streets of Thailand.
One of the strongest condemnations came this Tuesday from Malaysia, whose Administration assured that the executions committed amount to “crimes against humanity.” His neighboring country also accused the Burmese army of “circumventing” a peace plan led by Southeast Asia to restore democratic order in the nation.
The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, also questioned the moment in which these actions occurred, as he pointed out that they were announced just one week before a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which advocates the restoration of the sovereignty of the people. A 10-nation bloc of which Myanmar is also a member.
“We hope we have seen the last of the executions… We will try to use all the channels we can to make sure this does not happen again,” Abdullah said.
But that call may not be heeded. The murdered men were among more than 100 people who, according to the Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners, have been sentenced to death in secret trials by military courts since the military seized power by force.
Against this background, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said he is concerned that the cases that are causing global outrage are not isolated events.
“Everything indicates that the military junta intends to continue carrying out executions of those on death row, while continuing to bombard villages and detain innocent people across the country,” Andrews said.
But beyond the criticism, the UN and Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which the board calls “terrorists”, demand sanctions and coordinated measures against the Burmese Army.
With Reuters, AP and local media
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