Myanmar junta’s ‘cold blooded assassination’: rights groups condemn decision to hang political prisoners
- Two veteran pro-democracy activists among four men whose death penalty sentences have been approved by junta, which took control early last year
- If the judicial executions go ahead they’ll be the first in decades and are aimed at frightening anyone opposing military rule, say campaigners
The decision to execute two prominent political leaders in Myanmar in what will be the first judicial executions in decades is an explosive move likely to have a devastating effect at home and further damage the military junta’s reputation abroad.
That is according to Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, after approval of the death penalty for four political prisoners, including the two democracy activists, was announced.
He said it was “equivalent to pouring fuel on the fire of popular antimilitary resistance in the country”, adding that such a commitment “will also lead to global condemnation and cement the junta’s reputation as among the worst of the worst human rights abusers in Asia”.
Other human rights groups and activists were also quick to condemn Friday’s announcement.
The United Nations expressed “deep concern” about a blatant violation of human rights and the Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights referred to “cold blooded political assassination”.
