Burmese junta executes 4 democracy activists

In the first executions in Myanmar in decades, the military junta killed four democracy activists they accused of terrorist activities. The executions came after a conviction in January that took place behind closed doors. The four men stood accused of creating pro-democracy militias that fought against the military junta after it seized power last February from the democratically elected government.

The people executed included well-known democracy activist “Jimmy” Kyaw Min Yu as well as a hip-hop artist and lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw who had been an ally of now imprisoned former Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw. They had appealed the death sentence but lost their cases in June when it was decided that the executions would move forward.

The executions have drawn international condemnation as the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners noted it was the first of its kind since the late 1980s, and UN experts condemned them as a “vile attempt at instilling fear” in the Burmese people. A military spokesperson said last month that many countries use the death penalty, and the actions were justified.

“At least 50 innocent civilians, excluding security forces, died because of them. How can you say this is not justice?”

The method of execution is not clear, though hanging was the preferred method in the past, with reporting saying only that prison procedure was followed after they had been convicted under the penal code and the counterterrorism laws. Information was tightly guarded, with the wife of Phyo saying she had not even been informed of his death.

These executions may be the last straw in ending the violent crisis brought on by the military coup or engaging in any peaceful dialogue, according to an analyst from the International CRISIS group.

“This is the regime demonstrating that it will do what it wants and listen to no one. It sees this as a demonstration of strength, but it may be a serious miscalculation.”

Violent crackdowns on peaceful protests in cities have given way to more remote fighting between not only protesters, but ethnic minority insurgent groups battling the military and muddying any definitive information about the number of people killed, though the AAPP set the number at over 2,100.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World