Myanmar Junta Condemns 7 to Death; Military Accused of Targeting Youths to Silence Opposition

Myanmar military junta sentenced 7 youths to death in the Yangoon region. The state-run secret military tribunal found them guilty of murder. The tribunal revealed that the convicts murdered a ward official on March 6 on the suspicion that he was a police informer.

They made the verdict on Wednesday under section 54 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

Myanmar

Military Tribunal Announced Sentences

Currently, Myanmar is being governed by the military after the country's top leader Aung Saan Suu Kyi was removed in a military coup and the government was thrown out. Since then the military has sent many political leaders including Suu Kyi to prison. A number of pro-democracy groups in the various parts of the country are targetting the military groups and installations in the armed conflict since 2021.

In March, 150 people were sentenced to death or life imprisonment by the military tribunal in the Yangon region. However, no executions have been carried out.

Seven Youths Are From Yangoon Region

All seven youths hail from the Yangoon region and were identified as Ye Min Naing, Soe Moe, Thant Zin, Daewa, San Shay, Athay Lay, and Aye Aye Min.

An underground youth activist in Yangon said the military is imposing harsh punishments on young people to discourage them from participating in resistance movements against the junta, according to Radio Free Asia.

Military Regime Targeting Youths

Myanmar is witnessing its worst-ever political crisis in decades after the junta overthrew the democratically-elected government in February 2021.

Pro-democratic activists in the region believe that the arrest of young and death sentences are attempted to warn youth not to engage in the armed conflict with the junta.

While lawyers have called the verdict unjust as they believe that the sentences imposed by the military tribunals are arbitrary.

But the military has assured that it's not making arbitrary decisions and the establishment is not targetting youths.

Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun pointed out that the government is prosecuting violators of the law, it's not targetting youths.

READ MORE