US condemns Myanmar's military plans to execute pro-democracy, opposition leaders

The US on Sunday (local time) condemned Myanmar military regime's reported plans to execute pro-democracy and opposition leaders.

"The United States strongly condemns the Burmese military regime's reported plans to execute pro-democracy and opposition leaders, exemplifying the regime's disregard for human rights and the rule of law. We urge the release of all unjustly detained," tweeted Ned Price, US State Department's Spokesperson.

This comes after Myanmar marked the first judicial executions in Myanmar in decades, two people will be executed in the country by the military junta, CNN reported citing the junta on Saturday.

"It's confirmed that Phyo Zayar Thaw and [Ko] Jimmy would be on the execution list," junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said as quoted by CNN, without giving a date.

In January 2022, veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy and former National League of Democracy lawmaker Phyo Zayar Thaw were sentenced to death, according to a statement by Myanmar's Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services.

The junta accuses the two men of being "involved in terrorist acts such as explosion attacks, killing of civilians as informants," the junta spokesperson said, CNN reported.

According to Amnesty International, news of the resumption of executions is "shocking." They called on authorities to "immediately" drop the plan and for the international community to step up intervention efforts.

"The death sentence has become one of many appalling ways the Myanmar military is attempting to sow fear among anyone who opposes its rule and would add to the grave human rights violations, including lethal violence targeted at peaceful protesters and other civilians," Amnesty International tweeted.

Raising an alarm over the rights situation in Myanmar, Amnesty International has said the death penalty increased at an alarming rate under military rule, with nearly 90 people sentenced to death by military tribunals since the coup last year.

Shortly after taking power in a coup on February 1, 2021, the military imposed a state of emergency under the authority of the Chairman of the State Administration Council, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and on March 16 issued Martial Law Order.

Among other concerns, another order transferred the authority to try cases of civilians to special or existing military tribunals, for a wide range of offenses including those involving the death penalty, through summary proceedings and without the right to appeal.

(ANI)

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