The United Nations’ Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) and the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) have condemned reports of Myanmar’s junta planning to execute more jailed democracy activists.
Unconfirmed reports about the planned hangings of at least five death row prisoners, including a woman, in Yangon’s Insein Prison, went viral this week.
Pro-junta Telegram channels posted that Insein’s gallows are being prepared with some stating that the executions will take place on Tuesday. Another post said seven executions were being planned.
Ko Zayar Phyo, 32, Ko San Min Aung, 24, Ko Kyaw Win Soe, 33, Ko Kaung Pyae Sone Oo, 27, and Ma Myat Phyo Pwint were sentenced to death in May last year in a closed trial for alleged involvement in the shooting of police officers by a guerrilla group on a Yangon train in 2021.
A Prison Department source said on Monday that no notification had been received to proceed with the executions while adding that junta brutality was expected.
On Monday, the UN investigators said the reports are being closely monitored.
The IIMM statement said: “Imposing a death sentence, even a period of detention, on the basis of proceedings that do not satisfy the basic requirements of a fair trial may constitute one or more crimes against humanity or war crimes.”
The APHR stated that it was “deeply troubled” by the reports and called on the regime not to carry out any more executions.
Wong Chen, a Malaysian parliamentarian in the group, said: “The use of capital punishment as a tool to suppress dissent is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms.”
Philippine MP Arlene Brosas of the group said: “These executions show a significant setback and the absence of political will from the SAC [State Administrative Council] to implement the ASEAN five-point consensus meaningfully.
“The APHR calls on the SAC to immediately cease all acts of violence, free all political prisoners and those arbitrarily detained and return the democratization process back to the country,” she said.
The junta’s first hangings were carried out in 2022, despite international calls for restraint.
Four pro-democracy activists, including veteran campaigner Ko Jimmy, former National League for Democracy lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and activists Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thura Zaw, were hanged in July 2022.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has reported that over 100 prisoners detained since the 2021 coup are on death row and junta courts have sentenced another 42 people to death in absentia.
