Junta in Myanmar carries out death sentences for first time since 1990

Created: 2022-07-25Updated: 2022-07-25 06:15

Two men raise their hands in a three-finger salute in February 2021 - a sign of resistance to the military coup.

© Str/AP/dpa

The generals in Myanmar have four people executed - apparently without warning.

Two of the men have been fighting for more democracy for decades.

Human rights activists are shocked.

Naypyidaw - Despite international protests, the junta in Myanmar has carried out death sentences for the first time in decades.

Four dissidents convicted in January were executed, including former MP and hip-hop artist Phyo Zeya Thaw, 41, and prominent democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu, 53, also known as Jimmy.

This was reported by the state-run newspaper "Global New Light of Myanmar" on Monday.

They were found guilty of helping to carry out "inhuman acts of terrorism".

Families found out about the death of their loved ones through the media

These are the first death sentences to be carried out in the Southeast Asian crisis-hit state since 1990. "The shocking speed with which the death sentences were carried out and the callousness with which they were carried out are made worse by the fact that the families - just like all of us - only found out about the death of their relatives afterwards and through the media," said Manny Maung of the human rights organization Human Rights Watch of the German Press Agency.

He called on the international community to take urgent action against the military government.

As early as June, after those convicted lost their appeals, UN experts warned: “These death sentences, handed down by an illegitimate court of an illegitimate junta, are a heinous attempt to scare the people of Myanmar.” A source close to the families told the German Press Agency that the men were hanged on Sunday morning.

Chaos and violence reign

The generals staged a coup in February 2021 and deposed the de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi (77).

Since then, the former Burma has descended into chaos and violence.

Phyo Zeya Thaw and Kyaw Min Yu were allowed to see their families again via zoom a few days ago, local media and sources close to the families said.

"We hoped the sentences would not be carried out, it's just awful," said a woman close to Kyaw Min Yu's family.

"The families thought they were safe for a while."

The activist had been fighting for more democratic rights since 1988 and had been in prison for more than 20 years in the past.

First known as a hip-hop singer, Phyo Zeya Thaw later went into politics and became a close ally of Suu Kyi.

There are numerous proceedings against the Nobel Peace Prize winner for alleged crimes.

A month ago she was transferred from house arrest to prison.

dpa