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Title: Military kills another protester in Mandalay and refuses to return the body to his family
Sub-title: Ye Yint, 22, died after he was shot in the pelvis and captured by junta forces on Saturday
Description: "A 22-year-old anti-coup protester who was shot and injured before being detained during a raid in Mandalay on Saturday morning has died in military custody, two protest organisers have told Myanmar Now. Ye Yint was among nine protesters who were detained when about 30 soldiers and police raided a house they were staying in in Patheingyi Township’s Nan Oo Lwin neighbourhood. He was shot in the pelvis while another young protester, 22-year-old Khaing Tun, was shot in the leg during the raid. “Two kids tried to run in panic and one was shot in his leg,” said one of the protest organisers. “The other one got shot in the back and the bullet went cleanly through his pelvis.” The detainees were brought to Mandalay Palace, which houses the military’s Central Command headquarters, and Ye Yint’s family was told at around 4pm that he had died, the second organiser said: “His wife told us.” As of 8pm, the family still had not been able to retrieve his body, the organiser added. Myanmar Now was unable to reach his relatives for comment. Three other protesters were detained in Mandalay on the morning that Ye Yint and Khaing Tun were shot. They were captured in Mahar Aung Myay Township after a military-owned vehicle rammed into their motorcycles as they rode back from a march led by Mandalar University students. One of those detained, Zin Myo Khant, is 17 years old. Late last month Thu Thu Zin, 25, was shot in the head and killed at a protest near the Mahamuni pagoda in Mandalay. Her family had to hold her funeral without her body because the military would not let them retrieve it..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-08-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Coup Leads to Crimes Against Humanity
Sub-title: 6 Months After Takeover, Urgent Need for Targeted Sanctions, Arms Ban
Description: "Myanmar’s military junta has committed numerous abuses against the population that amount to crimes against humanity in the six months since the February 1, 2021 coup, Human Rights Watch said today. Since the military takeover, millions of people have taken to the streets across the country and peacefully protested for a return to a democratically elected civilian government. As part of a widespread and systematic attack on the population, security forces have repeatedly fired on and otherwise used excessive force to disperse and harm protesters. Police and soldiers have killed over 900 protesters and bystanders, including about 75 children, forcibly disappeared over 100 persons, and tortured and raped an unknown number in custody. Several thousand people have been arbitrarily arrested and detained. “Myanmar’s junta has responded to massive popular opposition to the coup with killings, torture, and arbitrary detention of people who merely want last year’s election results to be respected and a government that reflects the popular will,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “These attacks on the population amount to crimes against humanity for which those responsible should be brought to account.” The concept of crimes against humanity dates to at least 1915 and was part of the 1945 Charter of the International Military Tribunal that created the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), crimes against humanity are a series of offenses that are knowingly committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population. The offenses of Myanmar’s junta against those opposed to the military coup have been both a widespread and systematic attack against the population, Human Rights Watch said. The nature of the response, broad-based and frequently consistent, reflects government policy rather than the actions of individual security personnel. Apparent crimes against humanity committed since February 1 include murder, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and other sexual violence, severe deprivation of liberty, and other inhumane acts causing great suffering. Human Rights Watch previously found that Myanmar’s military had committed crimes against humanity against the ethnic Rohingya population in 2012-2013 and again in 2017 as part of campaigns of ethnic cleansing. The authorities are committing crimes against humanity of apartheid, persecution, and severe deprivation of liberty against Rohingya currently living in Rakhine State. The UN-backed Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) is “closely following” events and is collecting evidence of possible crimes committed following the coup. The IIMM is also mandated to build case files to support efforts to hold individuals responsible for such crimes in criminal proceedings. The United Nations, regional bodies, and governments, including the European Union, United States, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), should respond to the continuing crimes against humanity in Myanmar by supplementing, strengthening, and coordinating international sanctions against the military and the State Administration Council (SAC) junta leadership under Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. Actions should include targeted sanctions on individuals, a global arms embargo, and financial restrictions that would reduce the junta’s revenues from extractive industries. Governments should act to reduce the junta’s gas revenues, which are the military’s largest source of foreign currency income, adding up to about US$1 billion annually in duties, taxes, royalties, fees, tariffs, and other profits. The US, EU, UK, and others should block payments to the junta and state-owned enterprises from foreign-financed oil and gas projects, such as those operated by PTT, Total, and Chevron. Such measures can be designed to target the junta’s access to foreign accounts while allowing for the continued production of gas and electricity in the country. Since the coup, concerns about vetoes by China and Russia have deterred the United Nations Security Council from adopting resolutions to address the human rights crisis in Myanmar. The Security Council should urgently take measures against the junta, including by referring the situation in the country to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Human Rights Watch said. The court’s prosecutor is currently investigating the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution following the 2017 ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, as those crimes were completed in Bangladesh, an ICC member. The council should follow the June resolution of the UN General Assembly with its own resolution to impose a legally binding arms embargo and targeted sanctions on junta officials and key military leaders. The Security Council and UN member countries should end the pretense that ASEAN will place sufficient pressure on the junta to restore a democratically elected civilian government, release political prisoners, and hold those responsible for abuses to account, Human Rights Watch said. Since its summit meeting on April 24, ASEAN has failed to appoint a promised special envoy and has taken no meaningful steps to press the junta to address grave human rights concerns in Myanmar. “The international response to the Myanmar junta’s crimes against humanity has been stymied by fears of Security Council vetoes, ASEAN’s feckless leadership, and the EU’s hesitance to target foreign gas companies,” Adams said. “The Security Council and influential countries, notably the US, EU, Australia, Japan, India, and Thailand, should apply coordinated sanctions to pressure the junta to end its brutal repression.” Alleged Crimes Against Humanity Since the February 1 Coup The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defines crimes against humanity as one of several offenses “committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack.” “Widespread” refers to the scale of the acts or number of victims. A “systematic” attack indicates a pattern or methodical plan. Crimes against humanity can be committed during peacetime as well as during armed conflict. The statute defines “attack” as a “course of action involving the multiple commission of acts … pursuant to or in furtherance of a State or organizational policy.” The “attack” does not need to be a military attack as defined under international humanitarian law. Furthermore, “the term ‘population’ does not require that crimes against humanity be directed against the entire population of a geographical territory or area.” The ICC statute’s Explanatory Memorandum states that crimes against humanity “are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings. They are not isolated or sporadic events but are part either of a government policy (although the perpetrators need not identify themselves with this policy) or of a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or condoned by a government or a de facto authority.” Myanmar is not a party to the ICC, but the UN Security Council could refer the situation in the country to the ICC. The Myanmar military’s killing of numerous protesters, enforced disappearance of opposition supporters taken into custody, torture and rape of many of those detained, and mass political detentions throughout Myanmar since the coup indicate that these abuses are widespread. The authorities have made statements that suggest that the response to the protests has also been systematic. On February 21, the State Administration Council stated in the government’s Global New Light of Myanmar: “Protesters are now inciting the people, especially emotional teenagers and youth, to a confrontation path where they will suffer the loss of life.” On March 26, the state MRTV news channel announced that demonstrators “should learn from the tragedy of earlier ugly deaths that you can be in danger of getting shot to the head and back” and warned that “parents should also talk their children out of it [joining protests], let’s not waste lives for nothing.” This language was widely interpreted to signal that the security forces were planning to respond with force to planned protests the next day, Armed Forces Day. In a May 8 statement, the junta formally designated the opposition National Unity Government (NUG), its parliamentary committee, and their offshoot militias as “terrorist groups” for alleged acts of incitement against the junta, seemingly to justify a broad suppression campaign. The junta said that the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) – composed of members of the majority party from the 2020 elections of the national parliament – and the NUG “constantly incited Civil Disobedience Movement participants to commit violent acts.” The following alleged crimes against humanity should be independently and impartially investigated: Murder Since the February 1 coup, the State Administration Council junta has responded to massive protests with excessive and lethal force. The police and military have killed over 900 people, most of whom were protesters and bystanders in many cities and towns across Myanmar, including Yangon (Hlaing Thayar, North Okkapala, and other townships), Mandalay, Bago, Monywa, and other townships in Sagaing region, Mindat township in Chin state, and other locations. International human rights standards permit law enforcement officials to use lethal force only as a last resort when there is an imminent threat to life. But in numerous cases reported in the media, and by the UN, Human Rights Watch, and other human rights organizations, the security forces fired on demonstrators who were unarmed and posed no apparent threat. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on April 13 denounced “yet another weekend of coordinated bloodshed in many parts of the country.” She said that “[t]he military seems intent on intensifying its pitiless policy of violence against the people of Myanmar, using military-grade and indiscriminate weaponry.” The UN Human Rights Committee, in its General Comment No. 37 on the right of peaceful assembly, has stated that “[f]irearms are not an appropriate tool for the policing of assemblies, and must never be used simply to disperse an assembly.… [A]ny use of firearms by law enforcement officials in the context of assemblies must be limited to targeted individuals in circumstances in which it is strictly necessary to confront an imminent threat of death or serious injury.” The crime against humanity of murder has been defined by ad hoc international tribunals as “the death of the victim which results from an act or omission by the accused, committed with the intent either to kill or to cause serious bodily harm with the reasonable knowledge that it would likely lead to death.” There have been a number of reports of large-scale shooting of protesters by the security forces. The UN reported that security forces killed 18 people on February 28. On March 3, security forces across the country fired live rounds at protesters, killing at least 38 and wounding more than 100, the UN reported. Killings were also reported in one day in Monywa, Sagaing region; Myingyan and Mandalay, Mandalay region; Salin, Magway region; and Mawlamyine, Mon state, according to media reports and local analysts. Human Rights Watch investigated incidents in which security personnel appeared to deliberately kill individuals. On March 3 in Yangon, at least 10 security force personnel were captured on video pushing a man ahead of a group of detainees and then fatally shooting him in the back at close range. Medical doctors told Human Rights Watch that security forces prevented them from reaching wounded protesters, some of whom died from blood loss. Doctors working in mobile clinics during protests said security forces used live rounds interspersed with rubber bullets and that many of the fatal injuries were from bullet wounds to the upper body. On March 13, the authorities killed at least nine protesters, including five in the Sein Pan area of Mandalay, when security forces reportedly shot into a crowd. On March 14 in Hlaing Thayar township, Yangon, security forces killed an estimated 58 people. On March 17, police pursuing protesters forced their way into Sandar Linn Shein’s family home in Bayintnaung, Mayangone township. She said they accused the family of sheltering protesters and began shooting indiscriminately, killing her older sister instantly and wounding her older brother in the chest and then arresting him. On March 27, Armed Forces Day, the day after the MRTV news channel announced that demonstrators “should learn from the tragedy of earlier ugly deaths that you can be in danger of getting shot to the head and back,” security forces carried out violent crackdowns on protesters in at least 40 towns and cities, killing dozens, Fortify Rights reported: “Eyewitness photographs and videos filmed [on March 27] show dead bodies, including children, and soldiers firing weapons street-level, dragging lifeless victims away, and brutally beating people.” In one case, security forces shot and wounded Aye Ko during a night raid in Mandalay. Local media reported that security forces dragged him away and then set him on fire. Residents said soldiers threatened to shoot anyone who tried to help him. In a another widely publicized incident on March 27, a video shows soldiers shooting and killing Kyaw Min Latt at close range as he drove by them on a motorcycle. On April 9, military personnel killed an estimated 82 people in Bago in a dawn assault on protesters’ barricades and encampments, according to media reports. On May 26, the Associated Press, in conjunction with the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, published an extensive and detailed report documenting killings. The AP and Human Rights Center alleged that the junta was using the killings, including by dragging bodies through the streets and returning mutilated corpses to families, to terrorize the population into ending the protests. They identified more than 130 instances in which “security forces appeared to be using corpses and the bodies of the wounded to create anxiety, uncertainty, and strike fear in the civilian population.” Enforced Disappearances Since the coup, Myanmar authorities have taken into custody and forcibly disappeared more than 100 politicians, election officials, journalists, activists, and protesters, and refused to confirm their location in violation of international law. Enforced disappearances are defined in the ICC statute as the arrest or detention of someone by the state or their agents followed by a refusal to acknowledge that deprivation of freedom or to give information on the fate or whereabouts of the person, with the intention of “removing them from the protection of the law for a prolonged period of time.” Family members and friends of arrested anti-junta protesters told Human Rights Watch that not knowing where the person was being held heightened concerns about their safety and well-being. In many cases, families only received information informally about the location of their family member, such as when newly released detainees notified others that they had seen another person who had been detained. Some families believe that because a prison accepts a package for their family member, it is most likely the place where their relative is being held. However, there is no factual basis for this conclusion, and it does not relieve the authorities of their obligation to provide information on a detainee’s whereabouts, produce a detainee in court within 48 hours as provided by Myanmar law, and promptly allow access to counsel and family members. Torture Many of those detained for taking part in pro-democracy demonstrations said after their release that that security personnel tortured and otherwise ill-treated them and others in custody. Methods of torture reported include beatings, mock executions with guns, burning with cigarettes, and rape and threatened rape. While torture by police in criminal cases has long been a problem in Myanmar, coup opponents taken into custody have been at risk of routine beatings, torture, and gender-based violence, indicating that the mistreatment has been part of junta efforts to suppress the political opposition. One 19-year-old man told the media that on April 9 he was taken to a military compound on the outskirts of Bago after a deadly day of protests. He said the security forces used cables, the butts of guns, and bottles to beat him on his hands. “The commander tied my hands from the back and used small scissors to cut my ears, the tip of my nose, my neck and my throat,” he said. “[He] hit my head with a glass bottle, beat me up, pointed at me with guns but the bullets did not come out.” Protesters in Myeik, Tanintharyi region, said after their release that on March 9, security force members beat about 70 protesters detained during demonstrations with belts, rifles butts, pipes, wooden sticks, and chains. On April 19, the junta created a public outcry when it aired on MRTV the images of six young detainees who bore marks of torture suffered while they were detained. A 17-year-old boy told Human Rights Watch that he had been beaten for days while blindfolded, then forced into a pit and buried up to his neck in a mock burial. He said he and others arrested with him were denied food and water for four days and drank toilet water to survive. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said that since the coup, at least 22 people have been tortured to death during custody. Human Rights Watch investigated the case of Khin Maung Latt, 58, a ward chairman in Pabedan township in downtown Yangon. On the evening of March 6, witnesses saw soldiers and police forcibly enter Khin Maung Latt’s home, beat and kick him in front of his family, and then take him away at gunpoint. The next morning, after notification by the authorities, Khin Maung Latt’s family recovered his body from a hospital. The body had severe wounds to the hands and back and was covered in a bloody shroud, a witness said. Rape and Other Sexual Violence The UN special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence, Pramila Patten, condemned alleged sexual violence by the Myanmar authorities. She called for an end to the abuses and for unimpeded access for an independent investigation. In a June 25 statement she said: Night raids, arbitrary arrests, sieges of townships and neighborhoods, torture and deaths in detention, attacks on locations and sites where civilians are gathered or have fled, and reports of sexual violence in detention sites, particularly sexual assault, torture, physical and verbal abuse, and intimidation, have become an alarming feature of daily life. Mary Lawlor, the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, noted in a July 19 statement on Myanmar that “[w]omen human rights defenders are particularly at risk in remote rural areas and are often beaten and kicked before being sent to prison where they can face torture and sexual violence with no medical care provided.” The opposition National Unity Government reported that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have been particularly vulnerable to sexual violence in custody. One transgender woman recounted after her release that she was raped in custody with an object, tortured, and severely beaten. Human Rights Watch investigated the case of a woman whom the police arrested on April 17 and accused of involvement in a series of bomb attacks against security forces in Yangon. Local media reported that police in Yankin township severely beat the woman, including on her genitals, causing vaginal bleeding, during interrogation at the police station. They beat her again at an interrogation center in Shwe Pyi Thar township, making it difficult for her to eat or urinate. Her cellmate said she herself was molested, threatened with a gun, and slapped during interrogation at another police precinct in Sanchaung township. On March 3 in Yangon, the authorities arrested two journalists, Han Thar Nyein and Nathan Maung, during a raid of their Kamayut Media office. Nathan Maung, who has been released, said the police beat them for days at an interrogation center and that Han Thar Nyein, who is now in Insein prison, was also burned with cigarettes and threatened with rape. Imprisonment or Other Severe Deprivation of Liberty in Violation of International Law On February 1, the military arrested State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and several dozen other senior officials in early morning raids in the capital, Naypyidaw. They remain in detention. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has reported that since the coup, security forces have arrested 6,990 people, of whom 5,442 remain detained. In some instances, security forces have arrested and detained family members and friends of activists, protesters, and opposition members as a form of collective punishment. The AAPP said that at least 119 people, including an infant, have been arrested during raids when security forces were unable to find the person they sought to arrest. At least 83 of them remain in detention and some family members have been sentenced to prison terms. The junta has particularly targeted members of the media for arrest. Since February 1, the authorities have arrested 98 journalists, 46 of whom are currently in detention, according to the AAPP. Six journalists have been convicted, including five for violating section 505A of the penal code, a new provision that makes it a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison to publish or circulate comments that “cause fear” or spread vaguely defined “false news.” Other Inhumane Acts Causing Great Suffering or Serious Injury The junta has harassed, arbitrarily arrested, and attacked medical professionals, sometimes as they treated injured protesters. Many healthcare workers were early leaders of the opposition Civil Disobedience Movement and refused to work in government hospitals as a form of protest. Since the coup at least 260 healthcare workers have been attacked while trying to administer medical aid, and 18 killed. The AAPP said 76 remain in detention and up to 600 medical professionals have outstanding arrest warrants against them. Many have been forced to work underground in makeshift mobile clinics or have gone into hiding to evade arrest. The UN Country Team in Myanmar has said that the attacks on medical workers have jeopardized the Covid-19 response. CCTV footage released online shows at least six police officers removing three workers from an ambulance of the Mon Myat Seik Htar (MMSH) volunteer rescue team, then beating the workers with their guns and batons and kicking them. The MMSH volunteers were subsequently arrested and released on March 24, Myanmar Now reported..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-07-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Dozens of Myanmar Resistance Fighters Seized in Sagaing Region
Topic: civil disobedience movement, civilian deaths, Coup, crackdown, Democracy, Human Rights, junta, military in politics, military regime, Min Aung Hlaing, Mingin Township, National League for Democracy, National Unity Government, November 8 general election, PDF, People’s Defense Force, Political Prisoners, Rule of Law, Sagaing Region, Spring Revolution, State Administrative Council, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Tatmadaw
Topic: civil disobedience movement, civilian deaths, Coup, crackdown, Democracy, Human Rights, junta, military in politics, military regime, Min Aung Hlaing, Mingin Township, National League for Democracy, National Unity Government, November 8 general election, PDF, People’s Defense Force, Political Prisoners, Rule of Law, Sagaing Region, Spring Revolution, State Administrative Council, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Tatmadaw
Description: "Almost 60 civilian resistance People Defense Force (PDF) fighters in Mingin were detained while they tried to attack a Sagaing Region village on Wednesday. At about 5am on Wednesday, civilian resistance fighters attacked Pan Set and Taungbyu villages, which are strongholds of Pyu-Saw-Htee military allies who are armed with automatic rifles by the junta, according to the PDF. According to residents, junta troops and Pyu-Saw-Htee raided have villages and attacked the resistance in the township over the past month. A resistance fighter in Mingin told The Irrawaddy on Thursday they attacked villages on Wednesday to prevent junta attacks with the Phyu-Saw-Htee on villages in the south of the township. During the firefight at Taungbyu village, the 57 resistance members were seized by the Pyu-Saw-Htee, according to the PDF. “Our fighters were detained by a trap after entering the village as the Pyu-Saw-Htee said they would surrender,” said a member of the PDF. Another 12 resistance fighters outside the village escaped. The resistance fighters trying to save the detainees were forced to retreat by junta reinforcements. After the firefight, the military regime used a helicopter to supply ammunition, residents said. “We have learned our members were detained at the Taungbyu village and some of them were slain,” said the PDF member. The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the killing of PDF detainees. U Maung Myint, a former lawmaker for Mingin Township who is a central executive committee member of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), posted on Facebook on Wednesday that the PDF members were captured because of military tactics. The former military officer said one villager was killed and three injured during fighting in Pan Set village. During the firefight, five resistance fighters were injured, according to the PDF. Also on Thursday, troops and Pyu-Saw-Htee members raided Konyin village and tortured villagers, a PDF member said. Residents of three villages nearby have fled their homes to avoid junta raids. Clashes between the resistance and junta in Mingin Township began in June. More than 10,000 residents from Twin, Linponeyi and Zee Pin Twin villages in Kani Township, Sagaing Region, have fled their homes due to junta raids. The bodies of 12 villagers buried by junta troops on Monday were found near Zee Pin Twin on Tuesday, according to residents..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-07-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Junta Escalates Media Crackdown
Sub-title: Release Journalists Wrongfully Detained, Sentenced
Description: " Myanmar’s military junta should stop prosecuting journalists and end its assault on independent media, Human Rights Watch said today, releasing a video about the media crackdown. Since the February 1, 2021 coup, Myanmar’s junta has arrested 98 journalists, 46 of whom are currently in detention, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). Six journalists have been convicted, including five for violating section 505A of the penal code, a new provision that makes it a crime to publish or circulate comments that “cause fear” or spread “false news.” “Fake news” appears to be any news that the authorities do not want to reach the public. “Myanmar’s junta has made the mass arrest of journalists and control over the media a key component of its seizure of power from a democratically elected government,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director. “The junta’s intensifying surveillance, harassment and detention of journalists is rapidly turning Myanmar into one of the region’s most dangerous places to be a journalist.” On June 30 the Ministry of Information issued a warning to journalists to stop describing the military-appointed State Administration Council as a “junta” or face prosecution. It also warned foreign news agencies to cease using the terms “military council” or “military junta,” and to stop “disseminating false news to global people.” The order threatened that “action will be taken against them under the existing laws if they apply wrong usages, quote and exaggerate fake news, and disseminate false information.” Those sentenced under section 505A are: Kaung Myat Hlaing, from Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), who was arrested at his home in Myeik, Tanintharyi Region, and sentenced to two years in prison. Min Nyo, from DVB, who was arrested while reporting on a protest in Pyay Region, and sentenced to three years. Thet Naing Win, from DVB, who was arrested in Bago Region and sentenced to three years. Zaw Zaw, a freelance reporter who was arrested while covering demonstrations in Myeik, Tanintharyi Region and sentenced to two years. Htoo San, a freelance photographer in Myeik, Tanintharyi Region, who was sentenced to three years. Another DVB reporter, May Thwe Aung, was sentenced to one month in prison under penal code section 188 for disobeying a public servant. She had learned on March 16 that the authorities had arrested her husband, Min Min Aung, who is a reporter for The Voice Daily. When she arrived at the police station in Oakkan township in Yangon region to try to find him, the police detained her, ultimately leading to her being charged and prosecuted. The crackdown on journalists is part of the junta’s larger effort to suppress independent media coverage of the situation in Myanmar, and to deny the serious rights violations the military is committing across the country, Human Rights Watch said. “If the situation becomes worse, then it becomes not a safe place for us and the only choice would be to leave the country,” one local reporter told Human Rights Watch. On May 4 the authorities arrested the US journalist Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, at the Yangon International Airport as he prepared to leave the country. On June 18 the authorities charged Fenster under penal code section 505A in a closed hearing inside Insein prison. The basis for the charge against him is not clear. On March 9 the police arrested the Kamayut Media founders Nathan Maung and Han Thar Nyein at their office in Kamayut township in Yangon. Nathan Maung, who has since been released and left the country, said both endured days of torture including routine beatings and sleep deprivation. Han Thar Nyein remains in detention. “Although I am free, my aim now is to make sure Han Thar and the others are also released,” he said. “They are journalists, not criminals.” The many arrests and prosecutions of journalists have had a severe chilling effect on independent journalism in Myanmar. On March 8 the junta stripped media licenses of five local outlets: DVB, Khit Thit Media, Mizzima, Myanmar Now, and 7Day. On May 4, the authorities banned 2 other outlets, the Kachin-based 74 Media and the Shan-based Tachilek News Agency. They also banned satellite television on May 4, extending strict censorship restrictions. Mobile internet restrictions imposed on March 15 remain in place. International human rights law prohibits arbitrary restrictions on the rights to freedom of speech and expression, including by detaining journalists and banning media outlets. “The military’s sustained crackdown on independent media and the arrests of journalists, combined with tightening censorship, threatens to isolate Myanmar’s people with only junta propaganda,” Robertson said. “The junta should immediately and unconditionally drop all politically motivated charges against journalists, reinstate the licenses of banned media outlets, and revoke abusive laws used against members of the media.”..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-07-27
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 24 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 24 July 2021: As of 24 July, (931) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 24, a total of (5360) people are currently under detention. (255) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. On July 17 in Magway Region’s Pwintbyu Township, Min Wai from Pay Taw Village, Soe Naing from Kywel Di Village, Tin Htay Aung from Thamin Chan Village and Myint Myint Htwe from Kan Pyae Village were arrested by many terrorist junta troops, due to informers alleging they were in possession of weapons. Myint Myint Htwe is pregnant and was arrested as a hostage when the junta did not find her husband Nyunt Win, in Kan Pyae Village. On the night of July 23, Kyaw Moe, who has COVID-19, was arrested while he was banging pots against dictatorship in North Dagon Township, Yangon Region. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.29 MB 5.17 MB 1.87 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 23 July 2021)
Description: "As of 23 July, (931) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 23, a total of (5358) people are currently under detention. (255) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. On July 17, four youths named Ye Myint, Htet Wai Min, photography enthusiast Kyaw Zin Win and another youth (name still unconfirmed), who all are from Lashio Town in Shan State, were arrested at their homes by junta police and soldiers for being accused of associating with the PDF. In the evening of July 21, workshop owner Soe Aung who was filling oxygen at Myingyan Industrial Zone in Mandalay Region and his 26 years old son, two others from the workshop, and a person who arrived to fill oxygen were arrested by the terrorist junta wearing plain clothes with five private cars. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-23
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.29 MB 5.31 MB 1.85 MB
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Title: Anatomy of a Massacre: How Myanmar’s Military Killed Dozens of Pro-Democracy Protesters
Sub-title: The death toll in Bago was the biggest one-day total for a single city since mid-March. It had a chilling effect on the pro-democracy movement.
Description: "Running through alleys or hiding in terror at home, they feared for their lives as friends were picked off one by one. Many were never heard from again. It started in the early morning on April 9, as people in Myanmar woke up to graphic social media posts about military operations unfolding in the city of Bago, just 55 miles northeast of the country’s biggest city Yangon. But this was no normal operation. As blasts and gunfire lit up the predawn darkness, heavily armed forces launched an unprecedented assault on pro-democracy protesters in the medium-sized city studded with pagodas. After security forces arrested leader Aung San Suu Kyi and seized power in a Feb. 1 coup, Bago emerged as a flashpoint in the nationwide demonstrations sweeping Myanmar. Local civilian protesters set up barricades in the eastern part of the city, establishing a level of autonomy signaling resistance to junta rule. But in just 24 hours in Bago, human rights groups and residents say soldiers hunted down and killed more than 80 people there, many of them young activists. The government downplayed the crackdown and blamed protesters for the violence, but witnesses tell a different story of nearly being killed and losing friends. According to human rights monitor the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which keeps a running database of confirmed deaths and detentions, more than 900 protesters and bystanders have been killed by the military since February. The death toll in Bago was the biggest one-day total for a single city since March 14. It had a chilling effect on the pro-democracy movement and forced many activists to flee into the borderlands of Myanmar to join guerrilla resistance groups. It was just before sunrise, when troops encircled the “safe” zone established by protesters in the city, then stormed the encampment, using rifle grenades to destroy barricades on main cross streets and firing live rounds indiscriminately. “Some of us who were taking cover behind that barricade lost their lives. But we couldn’t go to pick up their bodies,” said Myo Ko, a protest organizer who had spent the previous night with his friends guarding barricade number 7 on the city’s Magadit Road. “While the road and the streets were filled with smoke, they started shooting at any moving thing or shadows they saw with a machine gun.” “Some of us who were taking cover behind that barricade lost their lives. But we couldn’t go to pick up their bodies.” In a matter of minutes, protesters on Magadit Rd were trying to defend themselves with homemade airguns, slingshots and fireworks against encroaching troop movements. While Myo Ko took cover with friends, “Thiri” could see what was happening on the street from her home. “We all heard the sound of shelling. We heard the noises continuously,” she said. “From the next streets we heard the machine guns. We heard the screams ‘run!’” Her real name is not being used out of fear of reprisals from security forces, who have arrested more than 5,000 people since the coup, according to monitors. With little effort, the army had taken over Magadit Road. Soldiers moved east to San Daw Twin Road to reinforce units attacking protesters there. That’s where another protest organizer going by the name of Kay was trapped. “Some of my friends were killed and many others were also arrested,” Kay said. In just over an hour, the last barricade on San Daw Twin Rd fell. The military had full control of the city. But the bloodshed was just beginning, as soldiers went door to door as people cowered in whatever safe place they could find. “We felt like we could die anytime,” said Thiri, who hid in an old storage room for 24 hours. She remained in utter silence and did not open the door until the next morning. “We felt like we could die anytime.” Myo Ko survived by fleeing south through alleys and fields, but his cousin wasn’t so lucky. “My cousin, he got shot in the leg and was hidden in a neighboring house. When the soldiers got into that house, he tried to run away and was shot from behind,” he said. Residents reported seeing soldiers stack dozens of bodies at the Zeyar Muni pagoda near Magadit Road. They said the injured were slumped over the dead. By the next morning, most of the bodies had disappeared, according to residents, along with much of the evidence of the military’s massacre. Only three bodies of victims were recovered by families in the days that followed the massacre, according to human rights organizations and sources on the ground. The next day, residents picked up shells, bullet casings and other remnants of the bloody day that littered the streets of Bago. Used mostly in remote border areas to fight rebel insurgents, the rifle grenades stood out in the urban environment. The message to the people of Myanmar was chilling: if you rise up against the army, you will pay. The junta disputes the allegations, claiming only one person was killed, even as AAPP has confirmed the deaths of 82 people. But the day marked a turning point in the protests. Months later, many protesters have given up on the idea of mass demonstrations and strikes, taking up arms with a People’s Defense Force as a last resort. “We will keep on fighting any way possible,” Myo Ko said, from an undisclosed location. “The youths are gathering to fight, to end this military dictatorship.”..."
Source/publisher: "VICE" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-07-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 22 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 22 July 2021: As of 22 July, (931) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Minkin Township and Shwebo Township in Sagaing Region were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 22, a total of (5333) people are currently under detention. (255) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. On July 21, terrorist junta’s troops raided Kun Seik Village in Sagaing Region’s Shwebo Township and shot dead local villager Thein Tint a.k.a Jit Leik, when he was running away in fear. Khin Mar Yi a.k.a Phwar Cho, former chairman of Sagaing Region’s Minkin Township Development Committee, who was arrested and charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code since March for involvement in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and protesting, suffers from chronic diabetes. She died on July 21 in a Minkin detention cell due to diabetes and heart failure as she was not allowed to receive medical treatment at hospital while detained. On the night of July 20, Mya Wunn Yan, chief editor of Than Lwin Thway Chinn News Agency based in Shan State’s Taunggyi City, and her two daughters, Nan Khin Hphone Thwe and Su Myat Noe, who are also reporters, were arrested at home in Taunggyi by the terrorist junta. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.29 MB 5.28 MB 1.62 MB
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Title: PROTESTS PERSIST ACROSS MYANMAR DESPITE ONGOING ARRESTS, TORTURE AND KILLINGS BY JUNTA
Description: "Protests have continued in Myanmar, more than five months after the Myanmar military junta seized power in a coup on 1st February 2021 and arrested the civilian leaders of the national and state governments. According to the latest data from human rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), as of 20th July 2021, 922 individuals have been confirmed killed by the military and a total of 5,315 people are currently in detention. The military junta has also continued its attacks against ethic armed organisations and the People’s Defence Forces (PDF) in various regions including in Kayah and Mon states, Kachin and Shan, Chin and Rakhine states, leaving at least 230,000 civilians displaced as of 24th June 2021. The People's Defence Forces formed by the underground National Unity Government and aimed to protect civilians from security forces has been mobilised against the junta. On 19th June 2021, the UN General Assembly issued a resolution condemning the coup and demanding that the military “immediately stop all violence against peaceful demonstrators”. However, it stopped short of calling for a global arms embargo against Myanmar’s military, even as it took the rare step of urging member states to “prevent the flow of arms” into the country. It was approved by 119 countries, with 36 abstaining including China, Myanmar’s main ally. Only one country, Belarus, voted against it. It was sponsored by some 60 countries. Human rights groups have continued to call on the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo. On 26th June 2021, Pramila Patten, the U.N. special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, described an “extremely concerning” pattern of sexual violence by Myanmar’s military. Patten focused particularly on reports of sexual violence against women in detention centres. On 7th July 2021, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, called for the urgent formation of an “Emergency Coalition for the People of Myanmar” to stop what he described as the military junta’s “reign of terror” in the country. He added: “It could reduce the junta’s ability to attack its citizens, save the lives of those in acute crisis, and gain political leverage so that the crisis in Myanmar might come to a just and permanent conclusion”. Andrews highlighted the extreme human rights abuses committed by the junta, which he described as crimes against humanity. Various countries have continued to impose sanctions on the military junta. On 21st June 2021, the EU implemented new sanctions on top officials in Myanmar's ruling military junta, including travel bans and asset freezes on eight officials, and also targeted four "economic entities" tied to the Myanmar military. The UK also added three Myanmar economic entities to its sanctions list including a state-owned pearl firm and a timber company. The United States also imposed fresh sanctions on 3rd July 2021, on 22 individuals including four Myanmar government ministers. The sanctions target Myanmar’s minister of information Chit Naing, minister for investment Aung Naing Oo, labour and immigration minister Myint Kyaing, and Thet Thet Khine, the minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement. Three members of the powerful State Administrative Council were also hit with sanctions, as were 15 spouses and adult children of officials. On 8th June 2021, Japan's lower house adopted a resolution condemning the coup and urging the country to return to democracy. The resolution, adopted in a House of Representatives plenary session, described the military coup as an "act to trample on efforts and expectations for democratisation" and called on the Japanese government to "make full use of all diplomatic resources and every effort to realize" the restoration of democracy in Myanmar. However, the country has yet to impose sanctions. Human rights groups have continued to criticise ASEAN for its failure to address the human rights violations in Myanmar and for shielding the Myanmar military from international pressure and accountability. On 4th June 2021, a high-level delegation comprised of ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and Erywan Pehin Yusof, the second minister for foreign affairs for Brunei, the current chair of ASEAN, met with coup leader and head of the Myanmar military authorities but reported little tangible progress. ASEAN members also tried to block a UN General Assembly draft resolution calling for a global arms embargo on the junta. In a positive development, the Human Rights Council (HRC) postponed the adoption of the outcomes of Myanmar’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This came after 414 Myanmar and international civil society organisations urged the HRC to postpone the session and reject the Myanmar military junta representatives at the UN Offices in Geneva and recognise the National Unity Government (NUG). Over the last month, the junta has targeted artists, medical workers, lawyers, LGBTIQ activists and their families, youths and others. Some have been sentenced for ‘incitement’ (Section 505a) and ‘unlawful assembly’ (Section 145) while others have been tortured or killed by the junta with impunity. Nearly half of the 87 journalists arrested by Myanmar’s junta in the five months since it staged a coup remain in detention. An investigation by the rights group Global Witness found that Facebook is promoting content that incites violence against Myanmar’s coup protesters and amplifies junta misinformation..."
Source/publisher: Civicus (Johannesburg)
Date of publication: 2021-07-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 20 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 20 July 2021: As of 20 July, (922) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Sanchaung Township and Hlaing Tharyar Township in Yangon Region and Kyaukdaga Township in Bago Region were killed the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 20, a total of (5315) people are currently under detention. (255) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Nyan Win, NLD Secretary, who contracted COVID-19 while he was detained in Insein Prison, and only then transferred to Yangon General Hospital due to his severe condition because he did not receive adequate medical treatment in prison, died on July 20 in hospital. Likewise, Win Kyaing, NLD executive member of Western Hlaing Tharyar Township of Yangon Region, died on July 20 due to COVID-19 having been detained in Insein Prison. Aye Hla, Vice Chairman of NLD of Kyaukdaga Township of Bago Region, died on July 19 at Daik-u (Kyaik Za Kaw) Prison due to injuries consistent with torture during interrogation. He was arrested on June 16 having been accused of providing training to PDFs and allegedly in possession of weapons, when the junta did not find his son Linn Linn Kyaw, MP for Kyaukdaga Township of Bago Region. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.51 MB 4.96 MB 1.62 MB
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Title: IFEX calls on Myanmar junta to drop all charges under new censorship legislation, free all protestors and journalists, and restore media licenses
Description: "IFEX is calling for the restoration of media licenses to IFEX member Mizzima News and other media outlets who have played an essential role in shedding light on the violence inflicted by the junta against their own people. 897 people have been killed and over 6500 arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup in February. IFEX, the global network of over 100 organisations dedicated to promoting and defending the right to freedom of expression and information, is calling on Myanmar’s military junta to drop all charges under its repressive censorship legislation, Penal Code section 505A, and to immediately release all protestors and journalists detained under section 505A and other laws. IFEX is also calling for the restoration of media licenses to IFEX member Mizzima News and other media outlets who have played an essential role in shedding light on the violence inflicted by the junta against their own people. 897 people have been killed and over 6500 arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup in February. Shortly after seizing power, the junta amended section 505A to criminalize comments that supposedly “cause fear,” spread misinformation, or incite crimes against government employees. Offences under section 505A are non-bailable and subject to arrest without a warrant, with a guilty charge punishable by up to 3 years in prison. Legal experts have highlighted how the legislation has been used widely against opponents of military rule. “This legislation is typical of how repressive regimes the world over seek to silence critics, limit civic space and threaten the safety and freedom of expression of journalists and media outlets,” stated IFEX Executive Director Annie Game. “With the junta continuing to perpetrate violence against their own people, access to reliable information has never been so important. All charges under section 505A should be dropped, all protestors and journalists freed, and media licenses restored so that our colleagues at Mizzima News and other outlets can operate freely.” Addressing a recent session of the UN Human Rights Council, Thomas H. Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, described how the military junta continues to stifle freedom of expression, including by “using criminal defamation charges to target journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society leaders.” Speaking at the same session, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet labelled the situation in Myanmar as a, “multi-dimensional human rights catastrophe,” that requires immediate action. She pointed to the silencing of civil voices, the arrests of journalists, and the shuttering of media outlets, and highlighted “multiple reports of enforced disappearances; brutal torture and deaths in custody; and the arrest of relatives or children in lieu of the person being sought.” Mizzima News has been one of the many targets of these attacks. Since the coup, Mizzima has been outlawed and their offices raided. Despite these threats, the organisation has continued to operate, oppose the coup, and call for the restoration of democracy. In response the military junta has charged 18 Mizzima staff members and journalists under section 505A, including Ko Zaw Zaw, Mizzima’s Myeik-based freelance reporter who was sentenced to two years in prison. Women human rights defenders and journalists have been at particular risk of arrest under the legislation. On April 8, Thin Thin Aung, co-founder of Mizzima, was arrested in Yangon along with James Pu Thoure, a Mizzima staff member. Her house was ransacked, her computer seized and the entirety of her and her news outlet’s funds taken away. Both of them were taken to Mingalardon interrogation center (Yay Kyi Aing) for two weeks, before being transferred to Yangon’s Insein prison on April 21. Thin Thin Aung remains in prison to this day, charged under section 505A. Her next court hearing is scheduled for July 28. There have been numerous calls for her release, including from a group of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, with concerns being expressed over her health and high risk of torture. IFEX member organisations across the Asia-Pacific region and the globe have expressed their strong condemnation of the coup and support for those struggling for their rights. Updates from the developing situation in Myanmar are available on the websites of IFEX and Mizzima..."
Source/publisher: International Freedom of Expression Exchange
Date of publication: 2021-07-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 19 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 19 July 2021: As of 19 July, (919) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (5) fallen heroes today. These (5) fallen heroes from Bago Township in Bago Region and Shwebo Township in Sagaing Region were killed the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 19, a total of (5293) people are currently under detention. (255) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. The family was informed that political activist Naing Linn Soe a.k.a. Ye Gyi from Bago Township in Bago Region, who was detained and interrogated by Infantry Division No.77 in Bago since June, was sent to hospital on July 17 due to COVID-19, and died on July 18. He was arrested after his wife was detained as a hostage on June 14, and forced to show his hiding place to the terrorist junta. On the night of July 17, junta troops raided Seik Khun village in Sagaing Region’s Shwebo Township and shot four youths to death unprovoked while they were guarding the village. These youths are Thet Soe, Htay Hlaing Win, Aung Paing Htwe and Aung Hein Kyaw. Activist Tin Htut Paing and Aung Min Oo were arrested at an apartment in Yangon Region’s Hlaing Township by junta forces on the night of July 18. In addition to this, on the night of July 18, Lin Htin Soe, Mandalay Region’s Chairman of the Takhon Farmer Federation for Burma, living in Pyin Oo Lwin Township in Mandalay Region, was arrested at his home by the junta, the junta forces also confiscated some money and a car from his home. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.44 MB 5.31 MB 1.59 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 17 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 17 July 2021: As of 17 July, (914) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Sinbaungwe Township in Magwe Region and Minkin Township in Sagaing Region were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when.. As of July 17, a total of (5281) people are currently under detention. (254) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. In the morning of July 16, Tin Ohn from Ayekayit village in Magwe Region’s Sinbaungwe Township, was shot over 15 times by the terrorist junta and died while he was working at sesame field when the junta did not find his son Yan Myo Aung, MP of No (1) Constituency of Sinbaungwe Township of Magwe Region, who was evading arrest because he did not sign to not support CRPH and NUG. On July 16, the terrorist junta raided nearby villages including Inpinhla Village in Sagaing Region’s Minkin Township and shot Zwe Ko Ko from Inpinhla Village to death. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.26 MB 5.14 MB 1.6 MB 1.76 MB
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Title: Myanmar: Acts of torture while in custody against Man Zar Myay Mon
Description: "The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Myanmar. New information: The Observatory has been informed about the acts of torture while in custody and the ongoing judicial harassment against Man Zar Myay Mon, an environmental and land rights defender, member of the Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability (MATA) [1] and of the Subnational Coordination Unit (SCU) of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) [2] in Sagaing Region. According to a family member, Man Zar Myay Mon had his fingers broken during interrogation at the headquarters of the Tatmadaw’s Northwestern Command in Monywa, Sagaing Region, where he was detained following his arrest on June 8, 2021. At the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal, Man Zar Myay Mon was detained in Monywa prison, Sagaing Region. On July 7, 2021, Man Zar Myay Mon appeared for his third hearing in the Monywa prison court. During this hearing, he was able to meet with his lawyers in person for the first time since his arrest. Man Zar Myay Mon is facing five charges of “incitement” under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code. Among those charges, it is unclear to which alleged actions by Man Zar Myay Mon the charges are related. The Observatory recalls that Man Zar Myay Mon has worked for many years to promote accountability of the extractive industries for the benefit of local communities. He led a regional mining investigation and helped inform the development of mining legislation in Sagaing Region. Throughout this process he helped uncover many instances of corruption among government officials. He was also active as one of the community leaders in the Letpadaung mine protests in Sagaing Region [3]. Since February 2021, he led non-violent anti-coup protests in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region. Since his arrest, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar expressed deep concern about Man Zar Myay Mon’s arrest. The Observatory expresses its utmost concern regarding the torture to which Man Zar Myay Mon has been subjected during his detention and alerts on the high risk of further acts of ill-treatment and torture he is facing while in military custody. The Observatory urges the military junta to immediately release Man Zar Myay Mon, put an end to all acts of harassment - including at the judicial level - against him, and guarantee in all circumstances his physical integrity and psychological well-being..."
Source/publisher: International Federation for Human Rights
Date of publication: 2021-07-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 59.26 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 15 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 15 July 2021: As of 15 July, (912) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Pyi Gyi Dagun Township in Mandalay Region was killed on the previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 15, a total of (5269) people are currently under detention. (254) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Sithu, 16 years old, was shot dead as the terrorist junta opened fire into the crowd arguing among each other in Pyi Gyi Dagun Township, Mandalay Region on July 14. Htwe Htwe Myint, NLD member of Aye Thar Yar Town in Shan State’s Taunggyi Township, was arrested at home under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code on July 12 by the terrorist junta for allegedly writing on Facebook criticizing the junta. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.26 MB 5.01 MB 1.57 MB 1.76 MB
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Title: Military blames Covid-19 for deaths of detainees during interrogations
Sub-title: Junta authorities have attributed multiple detainees’ deaths to Covid-19, a designation that loved ones say is a final attempt to cover up the abuse they endured in military custody
Description: "Protesters Soe San and Zaw Lin were not home when some 30 junta troops raided their homes in Te Su village, in Mandalay Region’s Wundwin Township, at midnight on June 28. Unable to locate the men, the soldiers initially arrested Zaw Lin’s wife, then released her. Maintaining their innocence and fearing the further terrorisation of their families, Soe San and Zaw Lin went to the hospital in the Wundwin Township village of Pindale the following afternoon to meet with the regime authorities stationed there. “They didn’t do anything wrong, so they decided to meet with them to clear the air so that they would leave their families alone,” a local man from Te Su who was familiar with the arrest told Myanmar Now on the condition of anonymity. After spending less than one day in the junta’s custody, 44-year-old Soe San, who was also the chair of the National League for Democracy party's office in Te Su, was declared dead. “I think they went too far with the interrogation and killed him,” another resident of Te Su village said. Strangely, the local said, Soe San’s body was presented to his family sealed in plastic—the standard practice for a patient infected with Covid-19, but not a man who had died in police custody. Soe San’s face was reportedly the only part of his body exposed at the funeral. He was one of multiple people who have died in military custody since the February 1 coup and whose bodies were later concealed from their families under the junta’s claim that they had Covid-19 and were still contagious. If they could examine the victims, family members of the deceased say they believe their bodies would exhibit clear signs of torture. “I think they went too far with the interrogation and killed him." According to data released by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on Wednesday, there have been at least 911 civilians who have died at the hands of the military council since the coup. Of these, at least 30 died in detention. The military council has repeatedly dismissed the AAPP’s figures as being exaggerated. No Covid-19 tests are known to have been carried out in the junta’s interrogation centers, which are frequently outside of prisons. Those who have been imprisoned and released since the coup have reported that Covid-19 tests were not carried out in the prisons, either.....Interrogation at the hospital, police station: Soe San and Zaw Lin’s families were only notified that the men had been sent to Pindale police station at around midnight, after they had been interrogated at the hospital all afternoon and evening. Soe San was reportedly sent back to the hospital after passing out at the police station. The following morning, June 30, Soe San’s family was notified at 11am that he had died. Their attempts to claim his body were in vain, the first Te Su villager said. While the military council allowed them to hold a funeral for Soe San at the Wundwin cemetery on the afternoon of July 1, they forbade the family from taking photos of the body or posting about the ceremony on social media. “They wrapped his body in plastic with just the face exposed. They didn’t directly tell the family that he died of Covid-19, but word got out,” the villager said. Only 10 family members were allowed to attend the funeral, accompanied by around 30 heavily armed troops, including soldiers from the air force and military engineers. Zaw Lin, who turned himself in along with Soe San, was released on bail on July 3. Residents of Wundwin said he was severely injured to the point that he was not able to dress himself. Myanmar Now tried to contact the Pindale police station for comment on the arrests, death and allegations of torture, but the calls went unanswered.....A pattern of deaths: The military’s handling of Soe San’s death was reminiscent of that of 19-year-old Mai Nuam Za Thiang, in Kalay, Sagaing Region on June 23. She was shot by troops while riding on the back of a motorcycle and died shortly after arriving at the hospital. “Their post-mortem report said that the girl died of excessive bleeding. However, the body was sealed and returned to us with the claim that she had Covid-19,” a family member of Mai Nuam Za Thiang told Myanmar Now in June. Again, citing a Covid-19 infection, the military forced her family to cremate her immediately. “I think they wanted to hide something, so they used that label [of Covid-19]. We could see only the report they gave us, and her face, so we were forced to accept what they said,” her relative said at the time. “Their post-mortem report said that the girl died of excessive bleeding. However, the body was sealed and returned to us with the claim that she had Covid-19." Just two days later on June 26, 26-year-old farmer Salai Van Tha Cung, also known as Zaw Htet, was arrested for unknown reasons at the hostel where he was staying. He died within 24 hours in detention. Salai Van Tha Cung was cremated immediately, again due to the claim that he was positive for Covid-19, despite showing no symptoms of the virus before his arrest, according to a close relative. The relative added that the victim had not been involved in the anti-coup movement. Chin State-based media reported that on May 9, a 59-year-old farmer from Haka Township, Pu Tale Lein, was arrested by the military and died after two days in detention. Although a local church asked that his body be returned for burial, the junta authorities told them that he had already been cremated because he had been infected with Covid-19. One of the earliest known examples of the junta blaming Covid-19 for the death of a detainee was in the case of 26-year-old Yar Zar Aung, who was shot in a crackdown on a protest in Mandalay and then taken into military custody on February 20. Four days later, his family was informed that he had died in detention, allegedly from Covid-19. Only four of his family members were allowed to attend his cremation, and from afar. His wife, Phyu Phyu Win, told Myanmar Now on the day of the funeral that she did not believe Yar Zar Aung’s cause of death was the coronavirus, and felt that he had died as a result of injuries inflicted by the junta. “We were only able to look at him from a distance, as they said he had died of Covid-19. When we attempted to take his body [from the hospital], they wouldn’t let us,” she said. “I’m upset. I’m not going to let this go.”..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-07-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Situation Update on 30 June Prison Releases
Description: "On 30 June, the junta prison department announced the release of over 2000 protestors arbitrarily detained since the coup. AAPP began to diligently monitor and record these releases amid that disorder. However, in the 2 weeks since 30 June only around 400 of the releases have been identified. These supposed releases were immediately hampered by the hostility of the junta. There were not as many releases across the prisons on 30 June, and in the days since many of the supposed released remain in a torturous prison system. The junta only announced how many prisoners were released by region or state but not how many were released from each prison, making it difficult to trace the exact number of prisoners released. The process was also beyond transparent, the junta deliberately spread misinformation about which day the prisoners would be released. It is because of the deliberate attempt to complicate oversight that there is discrepancy in the figure of recent releases. Misleading information is a practice of this junta, in their submission to ASEAN leaders on 24 April in Jakarta, the terrorist-like SAC group alleged “A total of 9,948 persons detained from February 1 to April 15… As of now, we have 4,511 released, 5070 charged, and further 367 charged in near future”. This was below AAPP’s identified figure as of 15 April that 4483 had been arrested since the coup and 3459 were actively under detention. Yet, AAPP has consistently identified our data as ‘at least’, detained or killed, and that our figures “will be likely be much higher” because of the conditions which led to so many of arrests across the country. The documentation process is currently tough because of the situation on the ground, impact of COVID-19 is also deteriorating with limited access to information. The military cancelled prison visits and special court hearings by reason of COVID-19, including lawyers visits to their clients, making it difficult for them to understand conditions inside prison. The junta has also banned media and civil society organization including our organization AAPP. This intends to restrict access to accurate information simultaneously as the junta is spreading misinformation about our organization. AAPP’s documentation includes precise names and other relevant data, as such our release lists can only be updated if the specific data is obtained. Those who were released on 30 June were primarily youths, civilians and journalists, AAPP maintains that those who remain behind imprisoned will be tortured even more severely. The organization believes with evidence of past experience that those released have been tortured and intimidated from engaging with independent media and civil society. In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 14 July 2021)
Description: "As of 14 July, (911) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (5) fallen heroes today. These (5) fallen heroes from Seikphyu Township in Magwe Region, Minkin and Kani Townships in Sagaing Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 14, a total of (5257) people are currently under detention. (254) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. On July 12, Lun Maung, a local palm farmer from Thayet Pin Village in Seikphyu Township in Magwe Region, was shot dead unprovoked by local junta police. Locals from nearby villages including Zin Kalal village in Sagaing Region’s Minkin Township are fleeing the terrorist junta raids on villages. San Win from Zin Kalel Village, one of the villagers fleeing, was killed by the terrorist junta while he was returning to the village to bring rice on July 11. According to a local, his hands were placed behind his back and there were injuries on his face and heads from beatings consistent with torture. In addition to this, Myint Swe from Than Pauk Village in Minkin Township was killed by the terrorist junta on July 13. On July 12, three teachers from Thar Ya Mae Village in Tanintharyi Region’s Myeik Township, who are involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), were arrested on the night of July 12 by the terrorist junta wearing plain clothes. These three teachers are primary school teacher Nyo Mar Lwin from Pa Htet Kyun Su High School, primary school teachers Zin Mar Lwin and Than Ei Ei Nyein from Sub Shwe Du Middle School. In addition to this, Naing Linn, a hundred households administrator from Thar Ya Mae Village, was arrested on the same night. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.26 MB 4.93 MB 1.5 MB 1.74 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 13 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 13 July 2021: As of 13 July, (906) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (4) fallen heroes today. These (4) fallen heroes from Sub-MyoThit Township in Tamu District in Sagaing Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 13, a total of (5239) people are currently under detention. (252) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Two teenagers were shot dead on spot, three arrested and one managed to escape when the terrorist junta opened fire on the six teenagers from Naungket village in Sub-MyoThit Township, Tamu District, Sagaing Region who were returning home from visiting a nearby village at 10pm on July 10. One of the three arrested teenagers was shot in the stomach and released on July 12. The two others were tortured to death in detention, it is not yet confirmed if they were the teenagers under-18. The four fallen teenagers were Ngam Chin Pso, 23 years old, Dou Kho Lel, 16 years old, Mang Gou, 17 years old, and Pao Gin Mang, 18 years old. The bodies were not returned to the families. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.25 MB 4.98 MB 1.52 MB 1.75 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 12 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 12 July 2021: As of 12 July, (902) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Chan Aye Tharzan Township in Mandalay Region, Kani Township in Sagaing Region and Thongwa Township in Yangon Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 12, a total of (5203) people are currently under detention. (249) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Hla Po, Yin Village in Sagaing Region’s Kani Township, who was arrested by the terrorist junta on July 8, died on July 9 due to torture in detention. According to locals, there were bruises from beatings on the whole body of Hla Po. Khant Ko Ko Maung, a CDM policeman from the traffic police force in Chan Aye Tharzan Township in Mandalay Region, who was evading arrest in Kyi Kone village, Patheingyi Township, was shot dead from the back in the evening of July 10 when the terrorist junta opened fire while arresting him soon after a woman active in helping the CDM movement was detained. Phoe Sal died due to with beatings consitent with torture on July 10 after his arrest by the junta on July 10 while he was searching for oxygen to help treat COVID-19 at Thongwa Township, Yangon Region. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.24 MB 5.04 MB 1.74 MB 1.52 MB
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Title: Chapter 3: Communication and media in Burma
Description: "Burma is a country of great ethnic diversity, in which over one hundred different languages and dialects have been identified (Smith, 1991b). The country is wedged between Thailand and Laos to the East, India and Bangladesh to the West, and Tibet and China to the North. The central plains of the Irrawaddy Delta are ringed by mountains that are home to a variety of ethnic peoples. Ethnic statistics in Burma are generally unavailable, and contentious when they are, since there has been no attempt to take a count of the population since the British census in 1931 (Smith, 1991a). The 1974 Constitution identifies seven divisions and seven ethnic states – Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah (Karenni), Mon, Rakhine (Arakan) and Shan. There are several other large minority groups in the country as well, such as the Lahu, the Nagas, the Pa-O and the Wa, and there are many Chinese, Tamils, Bengalis and others of Indian origin living in the country. Burma was annexed by Britain in three stages between 1824 and 1886, and was governed at first as a province of India. The British divided its administration in Burma into two divisions – Ministerial Burma and the Frontier Areas, in which the ethnic nationalities were given autonomy to govern themselves. The British also used a divideand-conquer strategy by employing ethnic minority men to help control the Burmans, who were agitating for independence in central Burma. During World War II, the Burmans fought with the Japanese against the Allies while the hill peoples such as the Karens and Kachins stayed loyal to the British. The British exacerbated existing tensions between the various groups by using ethnic minority soldiers to police the Burmans, who were pushing for independence. After independence in 1948, Burma experienced only a few years of civilian rule before General Ne Win took over in a coup that brought the military into power in 1962. While there has been reshuffling of personnel over the years, the military has remained in power. In December 1987, Burma was accorded Least Developed Country (LDC) status at the UN, which recognized that after years of economic decline, Burma was one of the world’s ten poorest nations. This was so embarrassing that the government in power at the time, the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), waited for four months to announce this news to its own people (Smith, 1991a). And so, while Ne Win instituted his plan for the “Burmese Way to Socialism,” the country languished in isolation. As conditions throughout the country worsened for the central regime, territories were designated as white, brown or black areas, corresponding with the degree of control the government had over that area. White areas were entirely under the government’s control, brown areas were partially government-controlled, and black areas were under the control of ethnic nationalist groups. Visitors to Burma were generally restricted to all but the white areas. Scholarly work in Burma has also been severely restricted by the country’s isolationist policies, and there are few works that examine the development of media and communications technology use since Burma’s independence. The few descriptions that do exist make clear that historically, Burma was a highly literate country with “proud educational traditions” (Smith, 1991a, p. 17). Western-style newspapers were introduced into the country during the colonial period, and a host of locally-produced magazines and newspapers appeared soon afterwards (Smith, 1991a). This diversity of outlets continued after independence in 1948, and the Burmese press during the 1950s was recognized as among the freest in Asia, with more than 30 daily newspapers in several languages and representing a wide variety of political viewpoints (Hollstein, 1961; Smith, 1991a). While many of these papers were sympathetic to particular political parties, they remained relatively free of government control, and there was no serious attempt at censorship or harassment of journalists or writers (Allott, 1993; Smith, 1991a; Smith, 1999c)..."
Source/publisher: Academia.edu (San Francisco)
Date of publication: 2003-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 279.24 KB (66 pages)
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 10 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 10 July 2021: As of 10 July, (899) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 10, a total of (5173) people are currently under detention. (249) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. In total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. 68 year old Saw Kyi and 13 year old Zay Myo Satt, the mother and nephew of protester Kan Win from Pyin Gyi Village in Tanintharyi Region’s Launglon Township were arrested in the evening of July 6 as Kan Win is evading arrest despite terrorist junta searched his home frequently for staging protests. Political activist Win Tun Naing from Pathein Township, who was evading arrest as a warrant was issued against him for his leading role in the anti-dictatorship protests in Pathein, Ayeyarwady Region, was arrested at a house in Shwepyitha Township, Yangon Region on June 28. He was interrogated at interrogation center 2 of Insein Prison for one week and then transferred on July 6 and now currently detained at Pathein Myoma Police Station. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.23 MB 1.51 MB 4.77 MB 1.79 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 9 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 9 July 2021: As of 9 July, (899) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Myingyan Township in Mandalay Region was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 9, a total of (5141) people are currently under detention. (249) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. Total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Phyo Hlaing Win from Sarkhar Village in Mandalay Region’s Myingyan Township, was shot dead unprovoked while he was passing in front of the old industrial hall where the terrorist junta’s troops had camped on the night of July 8 at Myingyan City. In the early morning of July 6, the terrorist junta’s forces raided a tea shop which is located in Ohn Pin Chan Village in Mandalay Region’s Sintgaing Township and arrested tea shop owner Min Thu Tun, his 12 year old son Aung Swan Pyae, wife Tin Nwel Hlaing, the younger brother of Tin Newl Hlaing, and three waiters. Marn Zar Myay Mon, a protest leader of Chaung-U Township in Sagaing Region, who was charged with five charges of Section 505(a) of a Penal Code, was tortured and his fingers were broken during interrogation. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.23 MB 4.71 MB 1.51 MB 1.75 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 8 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 8 July 2021: As of 8 July, (898) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Waimaw Township in Kachin State was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 8, a total of (5127) people are currently under detention. (247) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. Total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Mee from Makhawyan Village in Mainer Village Tract in Kachin State’s Waimaw Township was shot to death while she was selling fruit, when junta troops op ened fire on a car which did not stop on the evening of July 7 at Waimaw Township. On the night of July 6, Aye Min Thein, who is the father of Aung Khant Hphone, Hlegu Township student union member, was arrested when the terrorist junta did not find Aung Khant Hphone at his home in Yangon Region’s Hlegu Township. Maung Maung and Kyi Thar Maung Maung, the father and younger brother of Khin Marlar Maung Maung, Constituency 2 Regional MP of Hlegu Township in Yangon Region, were arrested by the terrorist junta on the night of July 6. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.23 MB 4.65 MB 1.73 MB 1.5 MB
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Title: Myanmar: Dismantling Dissent Crackdowns on Internet Freedoms
Description: "Acknowledgements: Internet freedoms are increasingly under threat, constituting part of the continuous regression in freedom of expression in Southeast Asia. Nowhere has this concerning trend been more apparent than in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, since 1 February 2021 coup d'état. Threatened by the modern and dynamic capacity of the internet to facilitate democracy, the internet was the first target of the Tatmadaw's new tenure of brutal control and censorship. In conceptualising this report and placing a spotlight on these developments, Asia Centre would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Burmese nationals currently residing in Myanmar, as well as members of the Burmese diaspora who have aided us with valuable inputs for this report. These individuals wish to remain anonymous due to security concerns. We are also grateful for the speakers and participants who contributed generously through their insights during consultations as well as a webinar, “Law and Lawlessness: Myanmar Coup and Human Rights”, on 11 March 2021, in the run-up to the drafting of the report. We are thankful and grateful to our partners, The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) for reviewing the draft of this report and providing constructive feedback. This report was led from the front, with research, drafting and editing by Asia Centre’s Executive Director Dr. Robin Ramcharan and Programme Coordinator Yawee Butrkrawee. Asia Centre’s Research Interns - Rory McAfee, Roshni Sharma and Ayman Ragab also supported the research. A special mention and thank you goes to Asia Centre’s Associate, Dr Balázs Szántó, for his help in reviewing the report. We would also like to recognise Communications Assistant Srettapong Srimekarat for designing the cover, infographics and layout of the report. For the cover page, “wire fence background” is supplied by j88DESIGN via Getty Images. We would also like to thank Centre Manager Patcharee Rattanarong for her administration of the project. Myanmar: Dismantling Dissent: Crackdown on Internet Freedoms is dedicated to the people of Myanmar, especially those leading the protests. Democracy exacts a huge price; we remember in this report those who have perished during the ongoing struggle for democracy in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: Asia Centre , The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law
Date of publication: 2021-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 3.72 MB
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Title: The police defecting as a new civil war looms in Myanmar
Description: "As Myanmar heads towards a new civil war, the police are coming under intense pressure to decide which side they are on. Since the military coup on 1 February, police have been used to brutally suppress mass protests. Some protesters have taken up arms to fight back, forming civilian militias called the People’s Defence Force. The BBC has been given rare access to the first group of police officers who defected and joined the people’s side. Some of those officers now say they’re prepared to use their weapons against their former colleagues..."
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-07-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Telenor sells Myanmar operations to company on ‘dirty list’ for military ties
Sub-title: Telenor declares it will pull out of Myanmar and hand over its infrastructure to the M1 Group, a company on a UK advocacy group’s blacklist for its dealings with the military
Description: "Telecommunications provider Telenor announced on Thursday that it had entered into an agreement to sell its Myanmar operations to the M1 Group for US$105m. The agreement, which is pending regulatory approval, allows for M1 to acquire all of Telenor Myanmar’s licences, contracts, employees and customers. Sigve Brekke, president and CEO of the Norwegian company Telenor Group, said in a statement on Thursday that the company’s decision to leave Myanmar was based on the “increasingly challenging” context of working in the country in recent months. The announcement came days after the Telenor Group said it was considering pulling out of Myanmar. Following the February 1 military coup, Myanmar’s junta cut off mobile and internet connections nationwide and has continued to restrict access in a bid to stifle massive popular resistance to its rule. “We have evaluated all options and believe a sale of the company is the best possible solution in this situation,” Brekke said in the statement, adding that the sale to the M1 Group would “ensure continued operations.” Activist group Justice for Myanmar described the move as “a further nail in the coffin” for the “prospects for freedom of expression and the right to privacy in Myanmar,” which the group said had been destroyed in the attempted coup. “The lives of activists and journalists are put at even more risk from Telenor’s planned, irresponsible exit from Myanmar,” Justice for Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung told Myanmar Now, adding, “The people of Myanmar must now be more vigilant in regards to military surveillance and the weaponisation of telecommunications.” The M1 Group was founded and is run by Lebanon’s former prime minister, billionaire Najib Mikati, and his brother Taha Mikati and nephew Azmi Mikati. The Mikati family history, which includes corruption charges in Lebanon and a pattern of investing in telecoms infrastructure in authoritarian contexts, should be “alarming” to the people of Myanmar, Yadanar Maung said. M1 has been listed on the Burma Campaign UK’s “Dirty List” of companies with ties to the Myanmar military since August 2019. Director Mark Farmaner told Myanmar Now that M1 was included for being a major shareholder in Irrawaddy Green Towers, Ltd. (IGT)—the largest telecom towers company in Myanmar, founded in 2014—which also has links to telecoms provider Mytel, a joint venture with the military. In December 2020 it was announced that IGT would be sold to CVC Capital Partners Asia. However, the nearly $400m loan CVC Capital Partners Asia required for the acquisition was reportedly “put on hold” after Myanmar’s coup. “If M1 sold their interest in IGT, they would be removed from the list. They have not replied to our letters and emails,” Farmaner said. At least one member of M1’s leadership still serves on IGT’s board of directors, according to IGT’s website and its listing on the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration in Myanmar. During genocidal military operations against the Rohingya population of Rakhine State in August 2017, eyewitnesses reported that a tower constructed by IGT and leased to Telenor was used by Myanmar army soldiers as a sniper post from which to shoot fleeing Rohingya villagers in Alethankyaw, Maungdaw Township. Telenor is one of four telecommunications operators in Myanmar and has around 18 million subscribers. It entered the market in 2014, when the military-backed government first allowed foreign investment in the industry. The company wrote off the value of its Myanmar operation—once $782m—in May, saying the worsening security and human rights situation in the country showed “limited prospects of improvement.” ..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-07-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 7 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 7 July 2021: AAPP will not be publishing a briefing, detention, or fatality lists on Sunday’s moving forward. As of 7 July, (897) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. (1) from Kale Township in Sagaing Region was killed today and (2) from Hopin Town in Kachin State and Kawlin Township in Sagaing Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 7, a total of (5120) people are currently under detention. (246) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1963 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. Total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. In the morning of July 7, Aye Min, from Pauk Khone village, Kale Township in Sagaing Region, was shot dead in the head by terrorist junta’s troops who came into Hto Mar Village near Kale Town where Aye Min worked in a rice mill as a carpenter. On the night of July 6, Ba Gyan, a civilian who was returning home from a farm by driving an Ox cart in Ywar Thit Gyi village in Hopin Town, Kachin State, was shot dead in the back after being accused of not stopping his cart. In the morning of July 5, Thay Thay, a civilian, was shot in the stomach by junta troops and died on spot when she was on the bike with her son at Kawlin Township in Sagaing Region. Chit Min Hlaing, a citizen journalist based in Pakokku City, Sagaing Region, who was arrested and charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code in April, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on July 6. In addition to this, Poet Thway Nay a.k.a Nay Linn Htet from Tada-U Town in Mandalay Region, was sentenced to three years imprisonment under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. Poet Thway Nay was shot and arrested when he drove protesters with his motorbike when the terrorist junta cracked down on a protest in Mandalay on March 27. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.23 MB 5.64 MB 2.11 MB 1.57 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 5 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 5 July 2021: AAPP will not be publishing a briefing, detention, or fatality lists on Sunday’s moving forward. As of 5 July, (892) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Monywa Township and Kanbalu Township in Sagaing Region were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 5, a total of (5၀85) people are currently under detention. (240) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1964 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. Total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. On July 4 in Mandalay, four people including Myat Thu, a protest leader of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), were arrested by the terrorist junta’s troops while they were at home. Myo Min Soe a.k.a Poe Hat, a village administrator of Pein Ne Kwin Village Tract of Ayeyarwady Region’s Kyangin Township, was arrested by junta on July 1. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.22 MB 4.62 MB 1.28 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 6 July 2021)
Description: "Updated 6 July 2021: AAPP will not be publishing a briefing, detention, or fatality lists on Sunday’s moving forward. As of 6 July, (894) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from South Dagon Township and Hlaingthaya Township in Yangon Region were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 6, a total of (5၀94) people are currently under detention. (241) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1964 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. Total 65 sentenced to death, in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. On the night of July 5, Khin Kyaw a.k.a Mae Gyi from South Dagon Township in Yangon Region, who is a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was shot dead by a pro-junta group called “Pyu Saw Htee”. Khin Kyaw’s dead body was then collected by the terrorist junta from his home. On July 4, Aung Gyi, a reporter at Myaelatt Athan News Agency, and his 80 years old father San Maung, executive member of NLD of Paungde Township, Bago Region, were arrested on July 4 in relation to the murder of a pro- junta informer in Paungde Town. Theint Sandi Soe, a third year university student majoring in Law, who was arrested as a hostage when the terrorist junta did not find his father, protest leader of Mogoke Town Soe Htay. Theint Sandi Soe suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and is not being allowed to receive medical treatment for this serious health condition. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.22 MB 4.6 MB 1.28 MB
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Title: Released Myanmar Journalists Tell of Junta Torture and Human Rights Violations
Description: "On June 30, the military regime released over 2,000 people who had been detained over the past five months for their involvement in the anti-junta movement. Most of those freed were civilians detained in anti-regime protests, as well as 12 journalists. The Irrawaddy has interviewed some of the freed journalists about how they were arrested and their experiences in prison.....Ko Aung Mya Than Reporter, Ayeyarwaddy Times: Eight junta vehicles surrounded my house and I was taken away for interrogation. I was beaten. They punched me in my ribs, face and mouth and slapped my face. Around eight drunken soldiers interrogated me, while accusing journalists of making false reports. I challenged [the military] in a Facebook live on the day of the coup [on Feb. 1]. So they had a grudge against me and beat me while interrogating me for challenging them. At first, I was questioned at Maubin Police Station [in Maubin Township, Ayeyarwady Region]. My face got swollen and my mouth was terribly bruised [from the beatings]. I was not allowed to sleep that night and the whole of the next day. In fact, it was a beating rather than an interrogation as I had challenged them [on Facebook live]. Seven [soldiers] beat me and they didn’t even give me water. Two days after my arrest, I was taken to Light Infantry Battalion 27 and interrogated again. I was not beaten there. After questioning, I was placed in solitary confinement at Maubin Prison until I was released. I was detained for one month and 19 days and I was kept in solitary confinement throughout my detention, except for three days in a prison cell with others. It appears that I have suffered some internal injuries. I am afraid that I will suffer from the effects of the torture later in my life. For now, I am fine except for frequent dizziness. In prison, detainees charged under 505(a) [incitement charge] were not tortured. It was only during interrogations that detainees were tortured. Even the police could not interfere. They [soldiers] were pretending to be police. Among them [those who interrogated me] were people from the special branch [of police], the military security affairs office and soldiers. Most of them were soldiers. They did the interrogations. Police could not interfere and had to do what they were told by the soldiers. They [the military] are overstepping their authority.....Ko Zin Thaw Naing Editor, Democracy Vision: I was arrested by police from Botahtaung Police Station in Yangon and was taken to the police station. I was put into a cell and then a military officer questioned me. I was beaten and punched that night while I was being interrogated. I was remanded in custody the following day and the police took me to the prison for fear that something might happen to me at the police station. I was not sent to an interrogation center. They had already filed a lawsuit against me for swearing at the coup leader before I got arrested. They got nothing from my phone when I was arrested. So they were not able to file a new charge and only charged me for swearing. Frankly speaking, as they have our personal information, they can arrest us any time they want. We were freed, but it is like moving from a small prison to a bigger one. They can arrest us at any time for any excuse.....Ko Banyar Oo Freelance Journalist: I was sent straight to prison. I was questioned by the police at the prison. I was not beaten during the interrogation. Normally, people who were interrogated [at a police station or interrogation center] before being sent to prison were beaten. The food they gave us inside the prison was not OK. It was lousy and could hardly be called rice and curry. They gave us lectures to suppress our morale and, as we refused to obey prison rules, they put us in solitary confinement. Altogether seven journalists were placed in solitary confinement and sent to the main jail. There is a room in which prisoners are forced to squat in the stress position. We were taken to that room and asked to squat in the stress position. We had an argument as we told them not to treat political prisoners that way. Then, the other political prisoners who were already squatting there joined the argument, which lead to a clash. We were then sent to a criminal prisoners’ wing as a punishment for instigating the argument. We spent 18 days there. Although we were not beaten, we were threatened with solitary confinement if we talked to each other. It was a violation of our human rights. They didn’t set conditions for our release. But we have concerns that they may arrest us if there are bomb explosions or arson attacks near our homes. So I feel unsafe.....Ko Soe Yarzar Tun Freelance Journalist: At Insein Prison the correctional department staff sat on chairs as they interrogated us, while we were told to sit on the floor. They attempted to suppress the political prisoners by doing that. There were 80 people in my cell and, around two days later, they selected four including me and put us in solitary confinement. I think I was in solidarity confinement for one day and one night. At first, I could make phone calls through the police. Then, I could not contact my family for the next two months. Later, at the trial, I could contact them by using my lawyer’s phone. We were not tortured like political prisoners were tortured in the past, but they punished us for not obeying prison rules. We didn’t have to negotiate with prison authorities to get released. The police only swore at me a little when I got arrested and did nothing to me. The following day, I was sent to an interrogation center. I was not beaten there either. The prison was too overcrowded. As more detainees came, there were more than 80 people per cell and we had to sleep on our sides as there was no room to lie flat. There were no significant human rights violations against those charged under Article 505(a). But around half of the detainees on each wing were sick. On June 28, some 15 people arrived in the prison after being interrogated. Three of them were very sick and suspected of having COVID-19. The three were placed in solitary confinement and the others were placed in a separate cell. There is a clinic inside the prison which gave out medicine. I am concerned that I might be arrested again for no reason. I have to be more careful as I was arrested even though I didn’t do anything wrong.....Ko Ye Myo Khant Photojournalist (Myanmar Pressphoto Agency): I was not beaten when I was arrested. But I was threatened and pressured to confess that I had violated journalist ethics by protesting against the coup and also that I had incited people to protest. I was sent straight to prison and was not taken to an interrogation center. There were human rights violations against political prisoners while we were in prison. [Prison staff] treated political prisoners more harshly than those who committed other crimes. Those under pretrial detention didn’t have to do labor. But those who were convicted under Article 505(a) had to do some labor at the main jail. I was not beaten in prison. Young people under 18 years were detained for a long time in prison. So were sick and elderly persons. I saw at least three people who died in prison after falling sick..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-07-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 2 July 2021)
Description: "As of 2 July, (888) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. oup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Monywa Township in Sagaing Region, Pyay Township and Shwedaung Township in Bago Region were killed on the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 2, a total of (5173) people are currently under detention. (233) people have been sentenced in person, of them 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1964 are evading arrest warrants. 118 people have been sentenced in absentia, of them 39 sentenced to death in absentia. Total 65 sentenced to death in person and absentia. We are also continuing to verify the recently released detainees. A youth named Thiha Zaw a.k.a. Nge Lay, who helped people injured during a bomb blast at a factory in Monywa Industry Zone, Sagaing Region, was arrested on the afternoon of July 1. Thiha Zaw’s body was returned on the evening of July 1. The family was informed on July 1 that a civilian named Soe Min from Bago Region’s Pyay Township, who was arrested on the night of June 29 due to a junta informer who alleged Soe Min destroyed Mya Village School. The body of Soe Min was found with injuries consistent with torture, including bruises over his thigh and body, and electric shock wounds. In addition to this, Aung Aung Lwin, a 19-year-old, arrested on the night of June 28 due to a junta informer in Shwedaung Township, Bago Region, was tortured to death in interrogation. His body was cremated by the junta on July 1 without being allowed to be seen by the family. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.22 MB 1.16 MB 4.78 MB
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Title: Myanmar: Security Forces Arrest Defense Lawyers
Sub-title: Wrongful Prosecutions Violate Rights to Counsel, Fair Trial of Accused
Description: " Myanmar’s security forces have recently arbitrarily arrested at least six lawyers defending political prisoners, violating both the lawyers’ rights and those of their clients, Human Rights Watch said today. The arrests deprive defendants of their counsel of choice and the right to a fair trial and undermine the principle of the independence of the legal profession. “The Myanmar junta’s wrongful arrest and prosecution of lawyers sends a chilling message that defending those arrested since the February 1 coup may lead to criminal prosecution,” said Linda Lakhdhir, Asia legal advisor. “Lawyers should be permitted to do their jobs without fear of arrest and intimidation.” At least three of the lawyers have been arrested while attending court: On May 24, 2021, security forces arrested Thein Hlaing Tun, a lawyer defending the deposed Naypyitaw council head Dr. Myo Aung, after a court hearing in the case in Naypyitaw. On May 27, security forces arrested Ayar Linn Htut while she was defending a political prisoner at Hinthada District Court, in Ayeyarwady Region. On June 2, security forces arrested Thet Tun Oo as he tried to attend a trial for one of his clients in Myitkyina. Thet Tun Oo is defending more than 120 political prisoners in Kachin State. The authorities have arrested other lawyers at home, on the street, or as they sought to leave the country. Security forces beat and arrested May Zun Ko, a lawyer providing pro bono legal services for detainees, as she walked down the street in Mandalay on May 1. On June 10, security forces arrested Nilar and Hpone Myat Thu, part of the defense team for the deposed Kayin state chief minister, as they tried to leave the country after learning of outstanding warrants for their arrest. Some of the lawyers have been charged with violating section 505A of the Penal Code, a new provision put in place by the junta that makes it a criminal offense to make comments that “cause fear,” spread “false news, [or] agitates directly or indirectly a criminal offense against a Government employee.” Violation of the section is punishable by up to three years in prison. Targeting lawyers for their work defending political prisoners contravenes the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, Human Rights Watch said. Under the Basic Principles, lawyers must be permitted to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference, and should not be subject to civil or criminal penalties for good faith statements made in defense of their clients. The clients of the arbitrarily arrested lawyers who themselves are in custody are being denied their right to be represented by counsel of their choice and to have a fair trial, Human Rights Watch said. “Arresting defense lawyers makes it abundantly clear that Myanmar’s junta has no interest in providing a fair trial for pro-democracy activists and that justice under military rule is an illusion,” Lakhdhir said. “The United Nations and concerned governments should demand the immediate release of the six lawyers, along with all of those arbitrarily detained since the coup.”..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-07-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Threats and Intimidation Towards Lawyers
Description: "Since the coup in Burma, even lawyers struggle to access justice. Despite being the representatives of the law, they continue to fall victim to unlawful threats and intimidation. Thousands of civilians, including monks, children, and women have been arbitrarily arrested, detained, tortured, and killed by the brutal junta on a daily basis since the coup, when power was seized from the people for a third time. Lawyers are also faced with military atrocities. Lawyers standing up for justice are suffering from unlawful threats and arrests as a consequence of the coup. According to data from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 17 lawyers have been detained since the coup. They have been arrested and taken to prison for participating in anti-military protests, during home raids, and while assisting detainees who have faced arbitrary arrest and unfair trials. Lawyers have also been taken as hostages by the junta. Daw Ayeyar Lin Htut, an attorney representing political prisoners from Hinthada District, Ayeyarwady Region, was arrested by so-called police on the evening of May 27 during a court hearing at Hinthada District Court. She was taken to Hinthada Prison and charged under Penal Code Section 505(a). Recently, lawyer and mother Daw Wai Wai Khine, along with eight family members were abducted by the military junta as hostages in North Okkalapa Township, Yangon Division after her son, a judge involved in the CDM movement, was not found during a search. U Thein Hlaing Tun, a lawyer defending Chairman U Myo Aung from Naypyidaw Council, was arrested by the junta on May 24 after the trial when he was The junta has continued to enforce a series of arbitrary arrests and unlawful prosecutions against civilians across the country. They then threaten lawyers who have then been assisting these innocent detainees. The intensity of arrests carried out by this terrorist junta is so high that lawyers have been unable, in some areas, to represent detainees at all. Lawyers who have been defending the cases of political prisoners have been burdened with long waits to receive court hearing dates, without the precise time being given alongside them. The creation of special courts in prison has further decreased the ability to receive justice, as these courts are not public hearings. These courts also limit the ability to interact with the client and have restricted the questioning of clients. Additionally, some clients have been beaten, tortured, and forced to make confessions before the hearing, making it near impossible for lawyers to obtain a fair trial. The ability to conduct a fair trial is a huge challenge for lawyers, as these courts are kept under constant watch by the junta judiciary and so-called police. There has been a lack of coherent collaboration between the so-called police, who should be partly responsible for the rule of law, judges and prison staff. In addition to this, lawyers face clear biases against their clients, with case statements being only partially, or incorrectly presented. More importantly, the detainees’ human rights and defendants’ rights are being challenged, without any legal protection to defend themselves.In some cases, lawyers have been threatened with arrest, detention and prosecution under Penal Code Section 505(a). Many individuals who have been detained have completely lost contact with their families since the military seized power. Lawyers are vital for access to justice and in many cases are the only way the voices of those detained in horrific conditions in prisons can be heard. Even lawyers are being abducted and facing violence when trying to give essential legal services, a clear and damming violation to the rule of law. A proper trial and defence are enshrined in the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Geneva Convention. The pinnacle of international law. Then there is the ‘Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers’ passed by the UN Congress in 1990, which explicitly lays out the right of detainees to access lawyers and legal services. A right systematically denied by the junta. Lawyers are unable to see their clients, charges filed, evidence before court, or set dates for trial. One of the few international instruments which cover the legal profession, it is an adopted norm which entails obligations for a state. The junta has abrogated responsibility as a member of the international community. The Spring Revolution is supported by the entire population, and everyday civilians are being terrorized. But a methodological suppression of lawyers, teachers, and doctors, students must be understood. Lawyers fulfil an essential function in any society. AAPP believes this junta is trying to detain, torture, and kill critical thought, just as other genocidal dictatorships have done. A junta engaged in these crimes cannot be considered for a seat at the UN General Assembly in the coming session..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 160.82 KB 95.69 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 1 July 2021)
Description: "As of 1 July, (885) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. oup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Wundwin Township in Mandalay Region was killed on a previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of July 1, a total of (5195) people are currently under detention; of them (233) are sentenced. 1965 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 25 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. The names of released detainees have not been immediately available to compile, we will continue to add the released names when confirmed. Soe San, NLD member in Talsu Village of Wundwin Township, Mandalay Region, who was arrested on June 29, died on June 30. It was informed that he died from COVID-19, however, Soe San had been beaten by the soldiers stationed at the Pintale Hospital. Assistant surgeon Wutt Yi Aung from Pyay Township, Bago Region, who is involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), was arrested in the morning of July 1. Ko Htike a.k.a Kyaw Linn Htike, who is a member of the Thukha Kar Yi Charity Association and a township Red Cross member in Bago Region’s Nattalin Township, was arrested on the night of June 29 after returning from sending back the patient. In addition to this, Maung Sein, Township NLD Information Committee Member of Taungtha Township in Mandalay Region, who was evading arrest, was arrested on the night of June 29 in Taungtha Township. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.8 MB 1.14 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 30 June 2021)
Description: "As of 30 June, (884) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region was killed on a previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 30, a total of (5210) people are currently under detention; of them (222) are sentenced. 1965 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 25 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. The terrorist junta announced that on June 30, they will release over 2000 students and civilians who were arbitrarily detained and charged in prisons across the country after the coup. The names of today’s released detainees have not been immediately available to compile, we will continue to add the released names when confirmed. In the morning of June 28, a civilian named Wai Phyo Aung was shot dead on spot by the terrorist junta when he went to look at a dispute over land in Pyigyidagun Township, Mandalay Region. His body was taken by the junta and his family was only shown a photo. On the morning of June 29 in Yangon Region’s North Okkalapa Township, eight family members including lawyer Wai Wai Khaing were arrested when the terrorists did not find his son, a judge who is involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), when they came and searched to arrest him at home. Police Sub-Lieutenant Jorny a.k.a Thura from Chanayethazan Township Police Station in Mandalay Region, who was arrested for his involvement in CDM, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on June 7. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.66 MB 1.08 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 29 June 2021)
Description: "As of 29 June, (883) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 29, a total of (5224) people are currently under detention; of them (222) are sentenced. 1988 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 25 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the afternoon of June 28 in Puta-O Township, Kachin State, Yinn Htan Htal Yam, brother-in-law of a youth the junta police and soldiers came to detain, was arrested as hostage when they did not find the youth they were looking for due to reporting by a pro-junta informer. In addition to this, in the morning of June 28, Aye Aye Myint, wife of, and Hnin Ei Ei San, 14-year-old daughter of a civilian named Tun Wai were arrested as hostage when terrorist junta did not find Tun Wai at his home at Htauk Kyant Village in Kale Township, Sagaing Region. Aung Soe, a technology student, charged under Section 505(a) and (c) of Penal Code, was sentenced to three years imprisonment by the special court in Dawei Prison, Tanintharyi Region on June 28. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.68 MB 1006.26 KB
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Title: H.E Dr. Sasa, Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation and Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar Addressed to the International Media
Description: "Under the watch of Min Aung Hlaing’s failed coup and his military junta regime in Myanmar, Covid 19 cases are rising hugely hourly and is out of control- the country is quickly becoming a failed state; the economy is collapsing along with the healthcare system, education system, and all basic services in the country are failing quickly. Food insecurity is rising sharply, violence and killing continues day and night, and humanitarian catastrophe is becoming widespread. Normalization of crimes against humanity and war crimes are being attempted by the oppressive and brutal military junta that the 54 million people of Myanmar are facing. This is the darkest moment in the history of Myanmar. The people of Myanmar are facing the real darkness of crimes against humanity, death and destruction which are both systematic and widespread. Since the failed coup started on the 1st of February 2021, in Myanmar, the military junta forces have murdered over 915 people, including 72 children (52 cases have been verified). The brave people of Myanmar will never allow the normalization of the murder of innocent civilians, and it is a matter of justice and accountability. The illegal military junta forces have unlawfully arrested and detained more than 6,200 innocent Myanmar people without cause, including our elected leaders, our State Counsellor, Daw San Suu Kyi, Mr. President U Win Myint and dozens of brave journalists. The military junta has been hunting down more than 2,000 innocent civilians and forcing them to flee from illegal arrest warrants, for the mere 'CRIME' of expressing their fundamental and universal human rights. The illegal military junta committed another crime against humanity on the 16th of June, 2021 by burning down the entire village of Kinma (over 250 homes), in Sagaing Region of Myanmar, and burning elderly people to death who were trapped inside their homes. This is not a first, however, as this military junta is guilty of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing against the people of Karen, Kachin, Kayah, Shan, Mon, Rakhine, Chin States, our Rohinga brothers and sisters who account for over 40% of the population of Myanmar. This violence we are seeing instigated by the military junta in Myanmar is both systematic and widespread. The brutal junta forces are attacking civilians’ homes, properties, villages, towns and cities across Myanmar with heavy battlefield weapons. They have occupied churches, schools, community halls and hospitals to use as barracks and supply depots. These junta forces are replacing textbooks and pencils with the terror of fear, violence, guns and bullets; replacing Bibles and hymnals with intimidations, oppressions, mortars and bombs; and replacing life-saving hospital equipment with weapons of tortures, destruction and death. It is not normal that classrooms are being occupied by junta soldiers, and that the school children are being forced to flee for their lives; nor is it normal that places of worship and community centers are being occupied by the junta forces, and that the communities, pastors, monks, and leaders are being forced to flee for their lives. It is not normal that our hospitals, colleges, universities, banks, and economy is crashing due to this military reign of terror. It is not normal that our teachers, tutors, professors, doctors, nurses, midwives, engineers, scholars and civil servants are being forced to flee for their lives because of their peaceful movement of CDM which is more powerful than all the military junta’s acts of terrorism against the people of Myanmar. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), 1.2 million civilians are currently displaced by the violence caused by the military junta’s reign of terror. There is nothing normal about 1.2 million innocent civilians in Myanmar being forced to flee their homes due to this oppressive military junta.The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is predicting that over half of the population of Myanmar (approximately 27 million people) will be living in poverty within a year. There is nothing normal about 27 million innocent civilians in Myanmar facing harsh poverty. The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is predicting that more than 6.4 million people in Myanmar are going to face starvation by the end of October 2021. There is nothing normal about 6.4 million innocent civilians dying from starvation and thirst. It will be heart breaking to count the number of deaths caused by not only the deepening crisis of violence, but also by the tragedy of poverty and hunger that has begun directly because of the terroristic actions of this brutal military junta in Myanmar. We cannot allow the normalization of 1.2 million Myanmar people being violently forced to flee from their homes because of a military dictator’s thirst for power. We cannot allow the normalization of 6.4 million Myanmar people being forced into starvation, nor can we allow the normalization of 27 million people in Myanmar being forced into extreme poverty because of the greed of a few old generals. The military junta’s brutality and cruelties against the doctors, nurses, health workers, teachers and civil servants who are simply expressing their fundamental rights by joining the peaceful movement of civil disobedience - CDM - have been increasing. We, the NUG again denounce and condemn this illegal and illegitimate military junta and their acts of terrorism against this most peaceful CDM movement. This unacceptable reign of terror, harassment, tortures, intimidations and violence against the peaceful movement of CDM must be stopped at once. The legal and legitimate government of Myanmar, the National Unity Government (NUG) has now successfully established 16 Ministries with responsible Ministers, and out of these 16 Ministries of NUG, 11 Ministries have built websites and pages in order to serve the best interest of our people for whom and by whom the NUG was elected and formed. The NUG is looking out for the best interest of the people of Myanmar, and in doing so we have waived all land fees and charges for all rented lands in the areas of Myanmar's natural resources. These attempts are to cut off all revenue belonging to the people of Myanmar from going into the hands of this illegitimate military regime 'SAC'. At the same time, I want to take this opportunity to appeal to the International Communities that the people of Myanmar have put strong sanctions against the military junta on the ground. They are putting themselves in harsh conditions, for they know that these harsh conditions are temporary, and that freedom and federal democracy means everlasting peace, prosperity, and stability. Therefore, it’s time for the International Communities to sanction all stateowned enterprises such as Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) and other revenue streams which are the main income sources for the military junta to buy more weapons in order to kill more innocent people in Myanmar. We have produced very important leaflets on how to prepare emergency kits for families and individuals, and these are made available to all the public. We have done this because of the increase of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a direct result of the military junta forces acts of terrorism against the peaceful and innocent people of Myanmar. We are doing everything we can to relief our people who have suffered so much for far too long. The acts of terrorism against Mandalay City, the second largest and most populated city in Myanmar, and the crimes against humanity and war crimes we have seen in Kinma, village of Pauk Township, Pakokhu District, Sagaing Division, Demoso and other places in Kayah State, and Mindat and other parts of Chin State have shown strong evidence that the military junta in Myanmar is openly committing crimes against humanity and war crimes against the civilian population in Myanmar. The acts of terrorism by the military junta in Myanmar are leading the whole Nation into a civil bloodbath, a great civil war and another genocide. Day after day, these nationwide peaceful protests, boycotts and strikes which are completely non-violent have been cracked down on by the oppressive military junta with bloodstained heavy battlefield weapons that have been secured from China, Russia and other countries with the money that has been stolen from the same gas and oil enterprise and our natural resources..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-06-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: 'I’m a Fugitive Forever' Journalist Tells VOA After Fleeing Myanmar
Description: "Nearly five months since Myanmar’s military took control of the country, the “Spring Revolution” has sparked nationwide demonstrations and a crackdown that’s cost hundreds of lives. But the armed forces haven’t limited themselves to smashing protesters. They’ve gone after journalists reporting on them, too. Mratt Kyaw Thu, 31, is one who managed to escape. Mratt Kyaw Thu fled to Madrid after months on the run. An open critic of the junta, he is one of thousands who are wanted by the armed forces. Now he finds the continued crackdown hard to watch. “I’m feeling so depressed. I’ve been crying all day, I don’t know what to do,” he told VOA in a June phone interview. Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw, has used the country’s penal code law to target anyone who interferes with government operations. Those found guilty face years in jail. Mratt Kyaw Thu said that the threat of jail never concerned him. But the fear of being picked up and tortured in detention was too much. “It’s really common for military to torture overnight and call the family member to take the dead body in the morning,” he told VOA. The military has detained thousands since the February 1 coup, including multiple members of the media. Freed U.S. editor Nathan Maung recently spoke of his ordeal – including being beaten, interrogated and deprived of food and water – while U.S. journalist Danny Fenster remains in Yangon’s Insein Prison. Mratt Kyaw Thu decided to leave Myanmar after he saw grotesque images of a National League for Democracy (NLD) politician who had been tortured and killed. “[In] the pictures, the military tortured him, they even poured hot water down his throat … his tongue and his eyes come out from his face. That picture shocked me a lot,” he said. The freelancer has been a journalist for over a decade. Mratt Kyaw Thu won Agency France Press’s Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. After the military shut down the internet, he worked to report factual information undistorted by pro-military groups. But the junta, officially the State Administrative Council (SAC), quickly denounced his work. “I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news,” he said. His name came further to attention of the junta following a March interview he conducted with a general who had defected and joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), a pro-democracy campaign that has seen thousands of workers go on strike. An altercation during protests in Yangon chilled him. “Two policemen just emerged, appeared in front of me, pointed with their guns [and said], ‘If you are not a protester just go away, I don’t want to shoot you.’ This is the moment I was very distraught, very fearful.” “They were ready to shoot someone against them. It was a terrible, horrible, experience,” he said. In another incident, Mratt Kyaw Thu said he was inside a friend’s apartment when “even sound grenades and gunfire hit my wall.” He said he risked being shot were he to observe from the balcony. At one point, the Myanmar military's 77th Light Infantry Division (LID) – known for violence during previous uprisings in the country – showed up on the street where he lived. Human Rights Watch accused the division of firing at protesters in 2007. Mratt Kyaw Thu eventually left Yangon after hiding in an “escape area” with rebel ethnic armed groups. On April 5, the military announced an arrest warrant for the then-on-the-run journalist. Mratt Kyaw Thu had been hiding in villages near the border while dodging nearby airstrikes. “The whole village had to move, had to flee into the forest. They have to leave their houses, and it was a very tragic event for them,” he said. Mratt Kyaw Thu was able to obtain a visa for Spain. He first tried for asylum in Germany at a stopover in Frankfurt. But he was refused entry under European Union regulations governing asylum seekers. For 38 days, Mratt Kyaw Thu was kept within a Frankfurt Airport detention center with little to do and no contact with the outside world. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, “I couldn’t even talk to people,” he said. Mratt Kyaw Thu finally was released and arrived in Spain on June 1. Although safe, Mratt Kyaw Thu admits he’s struggling to adapt. And there are regrets. “I can have coffee, go out shopping. At the same time, a lot of people are dying in my country, risking their lives. I’m sitting doing nothing; I feel so guilty,” he said. Mratt Kyaw Thu continues to fact-check and report about Myanmar’s dire situation on his social media accounts. On Facebook, he has a following of more than 495,000 followers combined. He’s under no illusions about the prospect of returning. “As long as the dictator, Min Aung Hlaing, is in the chair, in power, I cannot go back,” Mratt Kyaw Thu said. “I’m a fugitive forever.” General Min Aung Hlaing has led the Tatmadaw for a decade and is de facto ruler since disputing election results in November 2020 and jailing members of the government, including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. The general has been sanctioned in recent years by the United States and Britain for abuses of ethnic minorities in Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "VOA" (Washington, D.C)
Date of publication: 2021-06-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: The junta overthrew the government they represented. What happens next for Myanmar's diplomats in limbo?
Description: "In a beige stone townhouse on a leafy New York street, a political coup thousands of miles away has split an office in two. Downstairs in the dimly lit building, staffers at Myanmar's Permanent Mission to the United Nations receive orders from the military junta, which overthrew the country's elected government on February 1. Upstairs, charismatic ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun is leading what is effectively an underground diplomatic corps, part of an attempt to wrestle back control of the country. His conference room is decorated with portraits of a long line of his military-aligned predecessors, reminders of what he's up against. Staffers at Myanmar's dozens of diplomatic posts around the world have been faced with a predicament since the coup. Stay in their roles and be forced to represent the military junta that has killed hundreds of pro-democracy protesters and locked up the democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Speak out and risk being fired and placing themselves and their families in Myanmar in danger. At least 21 staffers across multiple regions -- including Kyaw Moe Tun -- have decided they won't cooperate with the military-controlled foreign ministry. Instead, they are quietly using their connections and relative safety abroad to counter messaging from Myanmar's military. To many of their former colleagues, they are defectors -- people who have turned their backs on duty and the chain of command. Several diplomats who spoke to CNN insisted they are actually loyalists to the democratic government that was overthrown in February. The issue is getting other countries to see them that way. They have already had a win -- the United Nations has allowed Kyaw Moe Tun to retain his seat and rejected a military-approved replacement. That makes him the only openly anti-coup Myanmar diplomat to remain in office. That alone won't be enough. Myanmar's military rulers could try again to replace him at any time -- and the longer the military remains in power, the harder it will be for underground diplomats to secure international recognition. A military coup In Berlin, Chaw Kalyar, 49, had stayed up late to watch Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) government be sworn in. The NLD had been reelected in a landslide vote last year and February 1 was meant to be the day parliament opened. Instead, the country woke up to find men in green military uniform swarming the capital Naypyidaw. Television channels went black. In the days to come, members of Suu Kyi's government would be hunted down or arrested. It was heartbreaking, said Chaw Kalyar, third secretary at the Berlin Embassy. As a 16-year-old, she had joined the country's historic 1988 protests against military rule, and seen friends killed in the ensuing government crackdown. She joined the foreign ministry more than 23 years ago, when Myanmar was under another brutal military dictatorship. When February's coup unfolded, Chaw Kalyar immediately knew she could not cooperate with the military junta -- she remembered how much people had suffered. "We could not just sit by this time," she said. As she talked with other embassy staffers in Berlin about publicly supporting the burgeoning civil disobedience movement, Chaw Kalyar was cautious that others in the embassy may support the military. Many of the country's career diplomats took roles in the foreign service during Myanmar's half century of military rule, which plunged Myanmar -- then called Burma -- into poverty, isolationism and civil war. Just over a decade ago, the military chiefs put in place a plan that would permit the country to hold elections, liberalize the economy, and transition into a semi-democracy while still maintaining their authority. Suu Kyi's NLD election win in 2020 was only the second democratic election held since direct military rule ended. The party appeared to be leading the country, but in reality the military remained a powerful force. The diplomats and embassy staff who denounced the coup were resisting a return to past repression. Chaw Kalyar knew that if she spoke out against the coup, and the movement against the junta was unsuccessful, she would likely never be able to go home. Despite the risks, she decided to act. "It's like all our life has endured this military dictatorship," she said. "We have to join this movement, and we think this movement can bring down this military coup, and we can finally eradicate this military brutality." Thet Htar Mya Yee San, 29, a junior diplomat at the Myanmar embassy in Washington, remembers an emotional conversation with like-minded diplomats in two European cities. Although she was on her first foreign assignment, she and other young diplomats decided they should "give up everything" to support the civil disobedience movement or CDM, which has seen people across Myanmar stop going to work to prevent the country from operating as normal under its new de facto rulers. But isolated in foreign countries, fearful for their families at home and uncertain of what would come next, they didn't take action immediately. That would come after a key moment a few weeks later..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-06-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Released American journalist says Myanmar military using torture to hunt down opposition leaders
Description: "Myanmar's military junta is using torture to extract information from detainees on the whereabouts of senior opposition members and activist leaders, according to an American citizen and journalist who was recently released from a Yangon prison. Nathan Maung, 44, was detained for more than three months in Myanmar before being deported to the United States on June 15. During that time, he said he endured two weeks in a secretive military-run interrogation center in the country's biggest city Yangon. Speaking to CNN Business on Wednesday from Washington, DC, Nathan Maung described his time in the facility as "hell" and said he prepared himself to die there, believing the soldiers would kill him. He is one of more than 6,200 people arrested since Myanmar's military, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, seized power in a coup on February 1, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and embarked on a bloody crackdown on dissent and on any perceived opposition to its rule. Mass street protests have been suppressed with deadly force. Former inmates, lawyers and family members of those held have previously told CNN the detainees have been subjected to torture during interrogation and held out of contact from loved ones. Some — including members of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) Party — have died while in custody, their bodies showing signs of brutal torture. CNN Business has reached out to Myanmar's military for comment. Despite months of escalating violence, the junta has said it is using restraint against what it called "riotous protesters," who it accuses of attacking police and harming national security and stability. Nathan Maung is co-founder and editor in chief of the Myanmar online news site Kamayut Media. He was arrested on March 9 alongside co-founder and news producer Hanthar Nyein, 39, as security forces raided their office. Though now living in the United States, Nathan Maung said he is "not happy" and feels an overwhelming guilt he was released because of his American citizenship, while his friend and colleague Hanthar Nyein, a Myanmar national, remains incarcerated in the notorious Insein Prison. "We've been through the hell together. So, we should be released together," Nathan Maung said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I really want him to know that we are not forgetting him. He's not alone." Danny Fenster, another American journalist who was prevented from boarding a flight out of Myanmar on May 24, remains in detention, also in Insein Prison. Weeks of 'hell' Nathan Maung knew something was wrong when a convoy of military trucks full of soldiers pulled up outside Kamayut Media's office in Yangon. Security forces barged through the door and raided the office, seizing equipment and taking Nathan Maung and Hanthar Nyein with them as they left. "They sent us to the interrogation center in Mingaladon," he said, referring to a suburb of Yangon. There, Nathan Maung said they were beaten, denied water for two days and food for three. They were handcuffed and blindfolded nearly the entire two weeks they were there, he said. "They started with a blindfold and handcuffs and then started questioning. They kicked our face, hands and shoulder, all the time. For every answer, they beat us. Whatever we answered — whether correctly or incorrectly — they beat us. For three days, non-stop," he said. Nathan Maung said the facility had five houses and one big office. Within the buildings, he said, there were four interrogation cells. He said his blindfold was removed on his final day there so he got a look at the room and the buildings. "In the room there is a CCTV camera, there's no bed, only a small table and a chair so you sit all day and night," he said. "You are blindfolded and there is no time to sleep. They won't let you. They put the handcuffs in front so you can try and sleep like that, but every five minutes they show up and start the questioning." This torture carried on for eight days, during which the detainees would be moved between the houses and cells. His colleague Hanthar Nyein bore the brunt of the torture, Nathan Maung said. "Hanthar was badly treated because he was Burmese national. He had to kneel down on the ground for like two days. His skin was burnt with a cigarette," he said. Nathan Maung believes the soldiers were pressuring Hanthar Nyein to hand over his phone password, which would give them access to his encrypted communications and phone records with high profile opposition and activist leaders. For days, Hanthar Nyein held out from revealing the password, offering them false numbers in the hope his phone would automatically lock anyone out of using it. But the final straw came when the guards threatened to rape him. "Hanthar couldn't stand for this and so he surrendered his password and they stopped beating," Nathan Maung said. Nathan Maung's phone broke during the arrest. The beatings stopped for him on the fourth day, he said, when the soldiers discovered he was a US citizen. "They stopped beating me and started asking questions about why the US government sent me and were giving me US funding, if I was working for the CIA — those kind of stupid questions," he said. "I said no, I'm a journalist, no one gave me money." So, the line of interrogation focused instead on his media company Kamayut Media. He said the soldiers asked about budgets and finances. "They are looking for any fundraising or where we got it," he said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: CNN Business
Date of publication: 2021-06-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 28 June 2021)
Description: "As of 28 June, (883) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 28, a total of (5202) people are currently under detention; of them (221) are sentenced. 1966 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 25 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Zaw Moe Naing, a policeman of Pauk Myoma Police Station of Pakokku District of Magway Region, and Naing Naing Toe a.k.a Yan Naing Toe, a policeman of Min Ywa Police Outpost in Gangaw Township, who are involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), were beaten and arrested on June 26 by the terrorist junta. On June 24, Pe Tin, a protest leader and NLD member of Kokkar Village of Gangaw Township in Magway Region, was arrested at home by junta troops because of a military informer. At Mogok Township in Mandalay Region, a wife and two daughters including four years old daughter of protest leader Soe Htay were arrested as hostage on June 13 when the junta did not find Soe Htay. They are currently detained at the Mogok Detention Center. An arrest warrant has been issued against Soe Htay. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.71 MB 1.03 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 27 June 2021)
Description: "As of 27 June, (883) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Kale Township and Monywa Township in Sagaing Region were killed on the previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 27, a total of (5183) people are currently under detention; of them (221) are sentenced. 1966 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 25 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Zaw Htet, was arrested with his father in the evening of June 25 at Kale Township in Sagaing Region by junta troops, his family was informed on June 26 he died from COVID-19. Zaw Htet was in good health, he was killed from torture according to his friends. On June 25 at 9 pm, Naing Win Oo was shot dead by the terrorist junta without question while he went back to collect a garage key he had forgotten. In the evening of June 26, Saw Pyae Chan Thar, a reporter from Sagaing City, was arrested by junta troops. On the night of June 25, San Lwin, an engineer, and his son Linn Latt Aung were arrested and beaten on the false information they were carrying explosive materials. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-27
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.67 MB 999.56 KB
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Title: MYANMAR SITUATION UPDATE (3-9 MAY 2021)
Description: "The pro-democracy protests continued across the country in different townships despite the continuing lethal attacks by the junta forces and arrested of protests and the youth. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) figures showed that as of 9 May, 780 people have been killed by the junta, 3,826 are currently under detention while 84 were sentenced. 1,540 arrest warrants have been issued and among them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment. The military junta also said that it would not agree to a visit by a Southeast Asian envoy until it could establish stability. Maj. Kaung Htet San, a spokesperson for the junta’s State Administration Council said in an online news conference: "Whether we will follow the suggestions of ASEAN or not will depend on the situation of the country." Explosions and killings have been reported in several states and regions including Yangon in the past week while growing numbers of clashes between the military and the civilian defense forces are also reported in Chin State state, Magway and Sagaing regions. Four administrators appointed by the junta were killed in Yangon, Mandalay and Sagaing regions, while a NLD MP and four other people were killed in the explosion of a parcel bomb in Bago region. Local media also reported the fighting between the military and the KNLA and KIA in Kachin and Kayah States and the military air raids in those areas left dozens of civilians injured. It is also reported more than 7,000 people in Papun district in Karen State are hiding as their villages are being attacked while more than 3,000 fled into Thailand. People of Salween River Basin Network, a civil rights group based in Mae Hong Son, urged the Thai government not to push the refugees back. The CSOs also repeatedly requested humanitarian organisations and relief agencies to take part in the distribution. In addition, more than 200 local and the international NGOs called on the UN to impose Myanmar arms embargo. The junta also banned three media outlets including Myitkyina Journal, The 74 Media based in Kachin state and Tachileik News Agency from Shan state, totaling up to 8 abolished media outlets since the coup. The detained Japanese journalist, Yuki Kitazumi, was charged for spreading “fake news”. The National Unity Government (NUG) set up a “people’s defence force” to protect civilians and outlined 35-point basic principles for its defense ministry, after the junta announced that the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), National Unity Government (NUG) and People Defense Force (PDF) are terrorist organizations..."
Source/publisher: Asian Network for Free Elections (Bangkok)
Date of publication: 2021-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 716.59 KB
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Title: MYANMAR SITUATION UPDATE (8-14 MARCH 2021)
Description: "As the people of Myanmar continue the civil disobedience movement including nationwide street protests, the total number of deaths has doubled to at least 126 in the past week. The anti-coup protests saw another record-breaking surge in deaths on 14 March alone when at least 38 civilians were killed by security forces. The exact number could be higher as many casualties are yet to be confirmed. After several Chinese-owned factories were burnt and a large number of deaths were reported in clashes between civilians and security forces in Yangon on 14 March, the military junta imposed martial law in Yangon’s Hlaing Thar Yar and Shwe Pyi Thar townships. In the past week, the military junta also raided the offices of three independent news outlets and detained two media personnel following the ban of five news outlets. In addition, six journalists who were detained while covering anti-coup protests were charged for incitement. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a total of 2,156 people have been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the military coup of February 1. Three of them were convicted, 73 have been charged with a warrant and are evading arrest, 319 were released..."
Source/publisher: Asian Network for Free Elections (Bangkok)
Date of publication: 2021-03-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 179.26 KB
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Title: MYANMAR SITUATION UPDATE (15-21 MARCH 2021)
Description: "In the past week, the military junta shut down mobile internet and wireless broadband internet (except for fibre internet) indefinitely. Crackdowns against the media were also intensified, with three journalists arrested in a week. Since the military’s Feb. 1 coup, a total of 40 journalists have been arrested by the junta, with 22 of the 40 had been released and 18 still under detention as of March 19. The closure of The Standard Time following The Myanmar Times, The Voice, 7Day News and Eleven also marked the end of independent print media in the country. As of March 21, at least 250 people are now confirmed killed by Myanmar’s police and military. A total of 2,665 people have been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the military coup on February 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). Of them, 15 were convicted; 109 have been charged with a warrant and are evading arrest, 375 were released. A total of 2,290 are still under detention or have outstanding charges/evading arrest, including the 15 sentenced..."
Source/publisher: Asian Network for Free Elections (Bangkok)
Date of publication: 2021-03-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 186.69 KB
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Title: MYANMAR SITUATION UPDATE (22-28 MARCH 2021)
Description: "As the Tatmadaw marked the Myanmar Armed Forces Day on March 27, at least 114 people were killed by the military junta, the bloodiest day so far since the military coup on February 1. The mass killings came a day after the military junta warned the protesters that they will face the risk of getting shot through state owned television. As of 28 March, at least 459 people have been confirmed killed by the junta. Among them, at least 38 were children. A total of 2,559 people have been detained since the coup, of which 37 of them are sentenced and 119 have been issued arrest warrants. Internet shutdown also continued in the past week including mobile internet and wireless broadband internet (except fibre internet). Crackdown targeting the media also continued, leading to more than 50 journalists being detained so far. The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), meanwhile, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022..."
Source/publisher: Asian Network for Free Elections (Bangkok)
Date of publication: 2021-03-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 250.62 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 25 June 2021)
Description: "As of 25 June, (881) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Kale Township in Sagaing Region was killed on the previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 25, a total of (5156) people are currently under detention; of them (218) are sentenced. 1965 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 24 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Mai Nuam Za Thiang, 19 years old, died on June 23 at around 10pm after she was arrested with a left thigh injury shot by terrorist junta’s soldiers on June 23 at around 9pm at Kale Township in Sagaing Region. Her family was informed in the morning of June 24 that she died due to COVID-19. It is reported that lots of blood was found on her body. On June 23, Kyaw Htwe, Dawei Protest Leader in Dawei Township in Tanintharyi Region, was sentenced to (2) years and (4) months imprisonment under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code and Export and Import Law by the special court in Dawei Prison. Likewise Kyaw Htwe, Aung Waiyan Kyaw, a protest leader from Dawei, was sentenced to (4) years imprisonment on June 21. On the night of June 23, three youths named Kyaw Tayzar Oo, Kaung Kyaw Htet and a youth from Padeegone Town in Bago Region’s Thegon Township, were arrested at their homes by the terrorist junta’s troops for sharing a post of the Thegon People’s Defence Force (PDF). Moreover, La Chake Lwan Nwal, head of nursing in Kachin State, who is involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), was arrested at her home in Chipwi Town on the night of June 23. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.68 MB 1.18 MB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 26 June 2021)
Description: "As of 26 June, (881) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 26, a total of (5174) people are currently under detention; of them (221) are sentenced. 1966 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 25 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. In the morning of June 26, De Myat Nyein, reporter at Zeyar Times News Agency based in Sagaing City, was arrested at his home. On the night of June 25, seven youths named Hein Thant Zin, Thiha Tun, Hein Min Oo, Sabel Htoo, Aung Paing, Wai Phyo Aung and Aung Htet were arrested by soldiers and police pretending to check overnight guest registration in North Okkalapa Township, Yangon Region. On the night of June 24, Than Than Aye, NLD Chairman of the ward and village in Aye Thar Yar Town in Shan State’s Taunggyi Township, was arrested by soldiers. Kyaw Swar Win, former Major in the military, who had previously been sentenced to two years imprisonment for signing a constitutional amendment, was arrested at his home in Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Region on June 22. On June 25, Thaw Gyi, NLD executive member of Thazi Township, was sentenced to three years imprisonment under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code by the court in Meiktila Prison in Mandalay Region. Over 60 people, who have been sentenced under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code in Myeik Prison in Tanintharyi Region, are being forced labor for 8 hours a day from Monday to Friday, 10 hours across Saturday and Sunday. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 5.56 MB 1002.58 KB
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Title: Letter dated 25 June 2021 from the Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, H.E. U Kyaw Moe Tun, addressed to the Secretary-General H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, on the current deteriorating situation in Myanmar, together with the weekly information update on current situation in Myanmar as of 18 June 2021 and the legal perspective information sheet of 20 June 2021.
Description: "I am writing to you again to apprise you o f the current deteriorating situation in Myanmar. More than 144 days after the unlawful coup, there is no sign o f easing the brutal crackdown and the violence committed by the military against its own people. As o f 20 June 2021, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a total o f 6.219 people has been arrested whereas 5,033 people are still under detention, 1,950 people been issued with warrants and 871 people ruthlessly murdered by the military since 1 February 2021. I wish to reiterate that the brutality, inhumane acts, arbitrary arrests, and tortures committed by the military are clearly amounting to serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity. A six-day-old baby has reportedly died o f cold due to lack o f shelter, blankets, and medical supplies at a camp for displaced people in Pekhon in Shan State. The people o f Myanmar are facing humanitarian crisis and the State Administration Council (SAC) continues ignoring the calls from the international community to ease the violence and committing further atrocities. Those displaced in the remote areas are also short o f shelters, medicine and drinking water. On 11 June 2021, it is reported that soldiers set fire to food rations, medical supplies, an ambulance and a vehicle in Lwal Yin village where people have fied. Taking this opportunity. I wish to again draw your kind attention to this continued disturbing situation in Myanmar, particularly in Demoso and Loikaw o f Kayah State. Because o f the irrational tortures and inhumane treatments o f the military, the Karenni People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Kayah Slate has been triggering the armed resistance with homemade guns. Since then, the military has been responding with heavy artillery and airstrikes onto the residential areas, which has led to the displacement o f around 1 million o f local people. This is evidently a systematic brutal attack against civilians using weapons o f war in order to hold onto power and control. The situation in my country has not gotten better and regretfully even getting worse. The situation in Myanmar can only be addressed through multilateral efforts, and to stop killing o f innocent civilians, the urgent and decisive action from the international community is more than critical ever. Allow me to underline the facts mentioned in the General Assembly Resolution "The situation in Myanmar" adopted on 18 June 2021 at the Seventy-fift h session o f the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution clearly urged to respect the will o f the people and to allow the sustained democratic transition o f Myanmar, to immediately release all detainees including President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to stop all violence. And it also calls upon the member states to prevent the flow o f arms into Myanmar and calls for unhindered humanitarian access. The United Nations and the international community must minutely monitor the implementation o f the adopted resolution by all member states to ensure the restoration o f democracy in Myanmar. On my personal note, I hereby, wish to appeal again the international community and the United Nations, by pursuing the principle o f responsibility to protect, to take a decisive action against the military without further delay. As usual. I enclose herewith the weekly information update on current situation in Myanmar o f 18 June and the legal perspective information sheet issued on 20 June for your kind attention. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances o f my highest consideration..."
Source/publisher: Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations
Date of publication: 2021-06-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf
Size: 200.53 KB 1.07 MB
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Title: Weekly Updates on Current Situation in Myanmar (20-6-2021)
Sub-title: Deaths and Arbitrary Arrests
Description: "As of 20 June 2021, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a total of 6,219 people have been arrested whereas 5,033 people are still under detention, 1,950 people been issued with warrants and 871 people ruthlessly murdered by the military since 1 February 2021 when the military unleashed systematic and targeted attacks and violence against innocent civilians. Nearly 140 days have passed since the coup, the military terrorist group has not stopped its inhumane acts and arbitrary arrests against the unarmed civilians until today. Military’s Unstoppable Brutal Actions Violent Crackdowns in Kinma village: The terrorist military forces set on fire Kinma Village in Pauk Township of Magway Region on 15 June 2021, whereby the entire village was burned to the ground. The incident broke out when the plate number of the motorbike of a suspect involved during the shooting at the house of the junta-allied administrator of Deedotekwin village on 12 June 2021. According to the witnesses, 88-year-old U Mya Maung and 82-year-old Daw Kyee Hmain were perished in the fire, 80 percent of the homes in the village were burnt down and the residents fled their homes in order to avoid the raid of the military. According to the credible reports, there are five pregnant women, two of whom are close to giving birth, are among the hundreds hiding in the forest after burning down Kinma Village by the military. Moreover, there are also about 90 children under the age of five and 27 breastfeeding babies. The fleeing villagers have to sleep roughly under the trees or in tents and they are in desperate need of foods and medical supplies. Open Fire in Depayin: In Depayin Township in Sagaing Region, it is reported that after a former local administrator and the daughters of a current junta’s administrator were killed by unknowns on 13 June 2021, the military forces stormed and opened fire on residents in Satpyarkyin and Boke villages on 14 June 2021. A 21-year-old man was shot dead and another 22-year-old man was seriously injured due to the violence. Hundreds of soldiers also reportedly stormed the villages Kyi, Inpin, Nyaung Hla and Yin Kyay and shot at locals. According to the information received, there were clashes between military forces and local People’s Defence Force (PDF). On 15 June 2021, around 300 military forces in 22 military trucks reportedly opened fire in Nyang Hla village in Depayin township. Military’s Inhumane Destruction against Humanitarian Actions On 13 June 2021, the military and security forces set fire to and destroyed an ambulance and a supply of humanitarian aid in Moe Byae Township, between Southern Shan and Karenni States. Eighty rice bags and medicines, and medical supplies, which were contributed by the people all over the country for internally displaced people, were destroyed. The military forces have been terrorizing and arresting community organizations and individuals who have been providing aid and support to internally displaced people and those affected by the conflict. During the last week, a six-day-old baby has reportedly died of cold due to a lack of shelter, blankets, and medical supplies at a camp for displaced people in Pekhon in Shan State. The family of the baby was relocated from the Sacred Heart church in Pekhon when it was attacked by the military with artillery shells late last month that led people to seek shelter elsewhere. According to a witness who was among those displaced, other IDP camps in the state are also short of shelters, medicine and drinking water. On 11 June 2021, it is reported that soldiers set fire to food rations, medical supplies, an ambulance and a vehicle in Lwal Yin village where people have fled. More than 100,000 have already been displaced in Kayah and southern Shan State in recent months and the military has repeatedly attacked civilians in those areas. Military’s Continuous Arrests Since the military coup happened on 1 February 2021, the military have never ceased arresting those who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement, and taken charges to those who defied the coup and involved in pro-democracy movements. Targeted to Medical Personnel: On 10 June 2021, Dr. Htar Htar Lin, Director of National Programme on Immunization, together with her husband and her seven-year-old son were arrested. She joined the Civil Disobedience Movement following the coup and was charged under Article 505 (a) of the Penal Code. Dr. Htar Htar Lin was the head of the country’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout and before she joined the CDM, it is reported that there was about 100,000 USD (161 million kyats) allocated for the immunization effort in a government account. She set about distributing the funds to local health departments across the country so that the money would not be in the hands of the military groups. Since then, she was one of the most wanted people by the junta. Following the arrests of Dr. Htar Htar Lin and her family, the military-controlled newspaper announced on 13 and 14 of June 2021 that 26 doctors including her were charged with high treason for colluding with an illegal organization. The announcement also stated that she failed to clear 161 million kyats balance for COVID-19 vaccine immunization rollout and 22 of the doctors on the list had evaded arrest. It also stressed that she led the Public Health Team on behalf of Dr. Zaw Wai Soe, the Health Minister of the National Unity Government (NUG), drafted plans for the NUG’s health policy, and helped Dr. Zaw Wai Soe. Similarly, Dr. Maung Maung Nyein Tun, a professor at Mandalay Medical University and his wife Dr. Swe Zin Oo from Mandalay General Hospital who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement were arrested in Mandalay on 13 June 2021. After the arrests, the military-controlled newspaper published a picture of him with bruises on his face. On 10 June, two lawyers who are representing political detainees including Karen State Chief Minister Nan Khin Htwe Myint, were arrested in Myawaddy township in Karen State under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. On 11 June 2021, Ms. Mar Mar Khaing, MP for No.2 constituency in Thaton Township, Mon State and her husband Mr. Nyan Tun, Executive Committee member of NLD of Kyaikmaraw Township, under detention in Kyaikmaraw Prison, were charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. Unstoppable Anti-Military Resistance Movement More than 130 days after the military coup, protests and demonstrations against the military throughout the whole country are continuing despite the brutal crackdowns. On 19 June 2021, pro-democracy supporters across the country wearing flowers to mark the 76th birthday of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is still detained. Flower is a significant style of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and in Burmese saying “still wearing flowers” means to be defiant in the face of adversity. Announcement by the National Unity Government on the incident in Kinma The National Unity Government released an announcement on the incident in Kinma Village. It condemned in the strongest ways of the arson committed by the military and local police against the residents of the village on 15 June 2021. It stressed that the junta forces continue to ignore the law, violate human rights and commit crimes against humanity and urged local, national and international stakeholders to continue recording the crimes committed by the junta forces. International Pressure on the Illegitimate Military Group On 11 June 2021, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet issued a strong warning that further escalation of violence in Myanmar must be halted to prevent even greater loss of life and a deepening humanitarian emergency. For the immediate cessation of violence and ongoing human rights violations, the High Commissioner encouraged the intensification of regional diplomacy, including by ASEAN and other influential States, and remarked that dialogue is urgently needed with the National Unity Government and civil society stakeholders. In the statement by the Group of Seven (G 7) issued on 13 June 2021, the leaders of G 7 condemned in the strongest terms the military coup in Myanmar and violence by the security forces of Myanmar and called for the immediate release of those detained arbitrarily, as well as urged the swift implementation for Five Point Consensus of ASEAN. G 7 member states also expressed concern for the devastating humanitarian situation and called for humanitarian access to vulnerable and displaced people. On 17 June 2021, the United Nations in Myanmar issued the statement, expressing alarm over the recent acts of violence and serious human rights violations in Myanmar, particularly in Myawaddy Township in Kayin State and Kinma Village in Pauk Township of Magway Region. The UN in Myanmar reiterates its call on all actors to respect international human rights norms and standards, and calls for those responsible for human rights violations to be held accountable. At the 83rd Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on 18 June 2021, the Assembly adopted a resolution that calls on the military junta of Myanmar to end the state of emergency, respect all human rights of the people, allow the sustained democratic transition and immediately and unconditionally release all detainees, as well as calls on all member states “to prevent the flow of arms to Myanmar”. The resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 119 in favour to 1 against (Belarus), with 36 abstentions. The Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations expressed his sincere thanks to cosponsors of the resolution and to those delegations who supported the resolutions. He viewed that the resolution will to some extent contribute to put pressure on the military to their inhumane acts against the people and to further consolidate the people’s efforts for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar. ***** Date: 20 June 2021 Permanent Mission of Myanmar, New York..."
Source/publisher: Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-06-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: At Least 64 Myanmar Protesters, Two of Them Underage, Sentenced to Death by Military Courts
Sub-title: Most were arrested in townships in the former capital Yangon, where martial law was declared following the army’s coup against the elected civilian government on Feb. 1, 2021.
Description: "At least 64 Myanmar citizens detained in protests against the country’s Feb. 1 military coup have been sentenced to death by junta courts, with the condemned list including two boys below the age of 18, according to sources in the country. Most were arrested in townships in the former capital Yangon, where martial law was declared following the army’s takeover on Feb. 1, sources say. None of those sentenced are believed to have been executed, though, with no death sentences known to have been carried out in Myanmar since 1998. Writing in a letter to his mother sent from prison, one of those condemned—17-year-old Nyein Kyaw Thein, formerly a student at the Thanlyin Youth Training School—denied his guilt in the case of a coup supporter, Zaw Min, who was murdered and set on fire in Yangon’s South Dagon township at the end of March. “They have called me a killer, but it isn’t true. I didn’t kill anyone,” Nyein Kyaw Thein said, asking his mother to stay strong and look after herself and his father. “Everything’s fine with me. I’ve made you miserable, Mom, and I’d like to make it up to you when I come back, I promise,” he added. Speaking to RFA, Nyein Kyaw Thein’s mother said she was surprised when soldiers came to arrest her son on April 17, a little more than two weeks after Zaw Min was killed. “I asked him if he had been involved, and he said he didn’t know anything about it,” she said. “There had been a lot of shooting that day, and the boys went into hiding that night, but we were able to keep in touch by telephone.” Arrested that same day, 15-year-old Min Thu, a 7th grade student in the school attended by Nyein Kyaw Thein, turned himself in to authorities after being told that his brother-in-law had been detained to force his surrender, his sister said. “I asked my brother if he had been involved in the killing, and he denied it,” the young woman said. “But someone told him that the police had arrested my husband because they couldn’t find him, and so he gave himself up.” “He’s a good boy, not a bad kid at all,” she said. “He tells us that [the police] have stopped beating him now, but he’s still being abused by others,” she added. Four brothers who were working on security duty in their ward of the city on the night of the killing were later taken away from their home at gunpoint after they went to see the murder scene out of curiosity, their mother said, also speaking to RFA. “At the time, I couldn’t say anything, but it was heartbreaking to see my boys taken from their home in handcuffs,” she said. “We heard nothing about them after that, but later learned that they had been sentenced to death.” “How am I supposed to take that?” she asked. “If they had been given prison terms, I would know at least that I would see them again some day after their release, and I could still have some hope for the future,” she said. “But now I can’t do anything but pray every night for their safety.” “It’s unbearable that they’re in this situation now without having done anything wrong.” Of the 18 defendants sentenced to death in the Zaw Min case, 11 are now in prison and seven were sentenced in absentia, sources say. 'I suffered in silence' Bo Bo Thu, sentenced to death in a separate case involving the killing of two soldiers in Yangon’s North Okkalapa township, has now had his sentence commuted to life, his mother told RFA, saying “At least he’s lucky not to be on death row.” When her son was first sentenced she couldn’t eat or sleep, and would not tell her husband what had happened, she said. “I just kept it in my heart and suffered in silence.” “I prayed and prayed that my son would not end up on death row—and not only him, but everyone else who had been arrested,” she said. Myanmar defendants sentenced to death can appeal their sentences within 15 days, but only prison officials are allowed to submit their appeals, lawyers say, with one lawyer telling RFA that officials assigned by prison authorities to submit the documents prepare them according to statements made by the prisoners themselves. “And we don’t know whether what they’ve written is in accord with the law or not,” he said. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a spokesperson for the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said the death sentences imposed by military courts in Myanmar have been handed down “out of resentment.” “People don’t support their coup and are opposing it in any way they can. And amid all the arbitrary arrests and beatings, the people are fighting back in self-defense. The military then holds a grudge against the people, and they are handing down these death sentences out of resentment,” he said. Nickey Diamond, a human rights specialist with the Southeast Asian rights group Fortify Rights, said that in recent years death sentences formerly imposed in Myanmar were changed under new laws to sentences of life in prison. “But there are fears now that the [ruling] Military Council might ignore this fact.” “These [death sentences] are the junta’s attempt to intimidate those who are opposing the dictatorship and to make them afraid,” he said. According to data gathered by AAPP and RFA, of the 64 persons sentenced to death in Yangon since the Feb. 1 coup, 20 were sentenced in North Okkalapa, 18 in South Dagon, five in Shwepyithar, seven in Hlaing Thar Yar, and 14 in Shwe Paukkan Myothit..."
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Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-06-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 24 June 2021)
Description: "As of 24 June, (880) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Hsipaw Township in northern Shan State, Kale and Tigyaing Townships in Sagaing Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 24, a total of (5104) people are currently under detention; of them (217) are sentenced. 1965 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 40 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 24 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, 1 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of June 23 in Hsipaw Township, northern Shan State, Aung Min Thu, a civilian, was shot dead in the head by terrorist junta’s soldiers while he was riding a motorbike returning home after drinking at a tea shop. In addition to this, yesterday evening at Kale Township in Sagaing Region, Salai Ngun Nei Piang, a civilian, was shot dead by a junta troop. In the morning of June 24, three students named Thang Biek Lien, 17 years old, Mang Kim Khuol, 16 years old, Thang Gin Hang, 14 years old, and their uncle Suon Lam Khai were arrested unprovoked in Kale Township, Sagaing Region. Moreover, on June 21, six family members including retired teacher Tin Myint Soe and three relatives from Monywa in Sagaing Region were arrested for allegedly supporting the People’s Defense Forces (PDF). The following day, a four year old child, who is a family member of a retired teacher Tin Myint Soe, was released. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.21 MB 4.56 MB 997.52 KB
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Title: Myanmar security forces arrest prominent leader of anti-coup campaign
Description: "Myanmar security forces on Thursday arrested one of the main leaders of the campaign against military rule after ramming him with a car as he led a motorbike protest rally, friends and colleagues said. Opponents of the Feb. 1 coup that ousted an elected government led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi have kept up their campaign against the military this traditional New Year week with marches and various other shows of defiance. "Our brother Wai Moe Naing was arrested. His motorbike was hit by an unmarked police car," Win Zaw Khiang, a member of a protest organising group, said on social media. Wai Moe Naing, a 25-year-old Muslim, has emerged as one of the most high-profile leaders of opposition to the coup. Earlier, Reuters spoke to him by telephone as he was setting off to lead the rally in the central town of Monywa, about 700 km (435 miles) north of the main city of Yangon. Video posted on social media showed an oncoming car swerving into a group of motorbikes. A spokesman for the junta could not be reached for comment. Monywa has been one of main centres of the pro-democracy campaign with big rallies day after day and repeated crackdowns by the security forces. Some colleagues said they feared for Wai Moe Naing's safety. The Swedish embassy said it was following his case and urged that all detainees be allowed proper health care and their human rights be respected. The U.S. Embassy also condemned the reported incident. "This appalling act further demonstrates why the people of Myanmar do not accept the military regime," the embassy said in a post on Twitter. PROTESTING MEDICS In Yangon, security forces detained Myo Aye, director of the Solidarity Trade Union of Myanmar, activist Ei Thinzar Maung said on Facebook. Myo Aye has also played a major role in organising the protests. State media said a famous actor, Zin Wine, and singer Po Po, both known for their support of the democracy movement, had also been arrested. The coup has plunged Myanmar into crisis after 10 years of tentative steps toward democracy, with, in addition to the daily protests, strikes by workers in many sectors that have brought the economy to a standstill. An activist group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, says the security forces have killed 715 protesters since the overthrow of Suu Kyi's government. Earlier on Thursday, soldiers opened fire in the city of Mandalay to disperse protesting medical workers and one man was killed and several wounded when security forces fired in a nearby neighbourhood, media reported. Some medical workers have been at the forefront of the campaign against the coup, which for many people has dashed hopes of a more open society after tentative steps towards democracy since the military initiated reforms a decade ago. State television announced that 20 doctors were among 40 people wanted under a law that makes it illegal to encourage mutiny or dereliction of duty in the security forces. Some 200 people are now wanted under the charge. The military says the protests are dwindling but thousands joined protests marches and motorbike rallies in several towns, according to pictures posted by media outlets. The United States and other Western countries have imposed limited sanctions focused on the military and called for the release of Suu Kyi and others detained by the new authorities. Leaders of Southeast Asian neighbours, which have been trying to encourage talks between the rival Myanmar sides, are due to met in Indonesia on April 24 to discuss the situation, Thai PBS World reported. Junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is due to attend, the broadcaster said, on what would be his first known trip abroad and contact with foreign leaders since he seized power..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Burmese journalists need our support
Description: "Australia must do more to support Burmese journalists who have been forced to flee Myanmar following the military coup in February. The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has urged Foreign Minister Marise Payne to issue a stronger condemnation of the military junta’s attacks on freedom of expression, and to provide safe haven to journalists fearing persecution. Since the junta seized power journalists have been beaten and shot, at least 85 have been arrested, more than 40 detained and several jailed for up to three years. Independent media outlets have been stripped of their licences to operate, and dozens of warrants have been issued for the arrest of other journalists. Burmese journalists are in hiding not only in Myanmar but elsewhere in the region, seeking safety from persecution and violence. However, Thailand has just sentenced three Burmese journalists to seven months jail and fined them for entering the country. “The situation for Burmese journalists is desperate,” said MEAA Media Federal President Marcus Strom. “They face daily risks of arrest or worse both in Myanmar and Thailand, yet they continue to bravely do their work so the rest of the world knows the situation following the coup. “Australia must use its moral authority to condemn the junta’s attacks on press freedom, and our government should be supporting and protecting Burmese journalists where it is needed.” MEAA has asked the Australian Government to: • Issue a statement urging Thailand to provide stronger condemnations of the attacks on freedom of expression in Myanmar and support the safe relocation of journalists under threat in their territory. • Hold private demarches and otherwise engage with local authorities to underscore their obligation to human rights standards and encourage protective action. • Provide safe haven, security and support for journalists facing immediate threats in Thailand, including facilitating their relocation to Australia if sought. • Identify and send case referrals to emergency assistance programs. • Work with and support local and regional civil society organisations located in India and Thailand in aiding journalists facing threatening situations or otherwise struggling to conduct their work, including funding, technical and material assistance, and by fostering effective support networks. MEAA is encouraging donations to the Media Safety and Solidarity Fund which will organise for emergency assistance to be distributed to Burmese journalists in Thailand through the Foreign Correspondents Club there..."
Source/publisher: "Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance" (Australia)
Date of publication: 2021-06-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Correspondence to Marise Payne re: plight of Myanmar’s journalists in exile in Thailand
Description: "The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, the union and professional association for Australia’s journalists, is deeply concerned for our colleagues in Myanmar (Burma) as the crackdown by the military junta that began in February has all but completely silenced independent media in the country. Journalists have been beaten and shot. You would know that at least 85 journalists in Myanmar have been arrested and more than 40 continue to be detained. Some have been jailed for three years for spreading “misinformation” under section 505A of Myanmar’s Penal Code. Independent media outlets have been stripped of their licences to operate, and dozens of warrants have been issued for the arrest of other journalists. Despite this harassment and persecution, Burmese journalists courageously continue to work underground at great personal risk, informing the rest of the world about the crimes of the junta. Burmese journalists are in hiding not only in Myanmar but elsewhere in the region, seeking safety from persecution and violence. However, Thailand has just sentenced three Burmese journalists to seven months jail and fined them for entering the country. Minister, we urge you to take action on behalf of our persecuted colleagues who are in danger in their own country as well as abroad. We ask you to:  Issue a statement urging Thailand to provide stronger condemnations of the attacks on freedom of expression in Myanmar and support the safe relocation of journalists under threat in their territory.  Hold private demarches and otherwise engage with local authorities to underscore their obligation to human rights standards and encourage protective action.  Provide safe haven, security and support for journalists facing immediate threats in Thailand, including facilitating their relocation to Australia if sought.  Identify and send case referrals to emergency assistance programs (e.g. the Journalists in Distress Network).  Work with and support local and regional civil society organisations located in India and Thailand in aiding journalists facing threatening situations or otherwise struggling to conduct their work, including funding, technical and material assistance, and by fostering effective support networks. We would welcome the opportunity to further talk about this issue with you as the need is particularly urgent..."
Source/publisher: Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (Australia)
Date of publication: 2021-06-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 126.09 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 23 June 2021)
Description: "As of 23 June, (877) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Monywa Township in Sagaing Region and Kyaingtong Township in Shan State were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 23, a total of (5088) people are currently under detention; of them (210) are sentenced. 1950 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 18 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Zayar Linn from Lalzin Sanpya Village in Monywa Township’s Sagaing Region was arrested and beaten on the night of June 21. His family was informed on the morning of June 22 that he died. He was found with wounds consistent with torture, one large on the back of his head and all over his body. In addition to this, on the night of June 19 at Kyaingtong Town in Shan State, Than Soe Aung, a local, was injured and his one year and six month old daughter was killed when they were hit by a car driven by Deputy Officer of the General Administration Department (GAD) in Kyaingtong Township. This was after Than Soe Aung did not stop when told by the junta forces when riding his motorcycle to go to a clinic for his ill daughter. Moreover, Than Soe Aung is being detained at the Kyaingtong Myoma Police Station and has been charged with two lawsuits against him at the station. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-23
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.2 MB 4.54 MB 1000.71 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 22 June 2021)
Description: "As of 22 June, (875) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Bahan Township in Yangon Region and Singu Township in Mandalay Region were killed in previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 22, a total of (5053) people are currently under detention; of them (198) are sentenced. 1950 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 18 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of June 20, Kyaw Kyaw Myo, a bridegroom from Lat Pan Hla Village Tract in Mandalay Region’s Singu Township, was shot dead on spot while delivering wedding invitations with his friend by riding a motorcycle. His friend was beaten and also arrested. In addition to this, on the night of June 19 in Bahan Township, Yangon Region, Phoe Thingyan a.k.a. Phoe Sein, a 13 year-old, was shot in the back and taken injured by terrorist junta soldiers when he ran away after seeing them, he had been playing. On June 21, his family was informed that he had died. Ngwe Soe a.k.a San Chote, father of Upper House MP for Yebyu Township of Tanintharyi Region Kyaw Zay Yar Soe, was sentenced to two years imprisonment under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code by Special Court in Dawei on June 21. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.2 MB 4.51 MB 1007.56 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 20 June 2021)
Description: "As of 20 June, (871) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen heroes today. from Kani Township in Sagaing Region was killed on June 19. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 20, a total of (5033) people are currently under detention; of them (196) are sentenced. 1950 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 18 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. In the evening of June 19 at Mi Kyaung Twin Village in Kani Township in Sagaing Region, junta forces shot to arrest a local villager called Sein Min. When Sein Min was lying down injured, they shot him dead and put a rifle beside his body, took the photo to conspire that Sein Min was an armed group member. A 15 year-old Kyaw Min Khant Maung, and a CDM staff at Myanma Economic Bank were arrested, as was a 12-year-old boy, who suffers from illness and was taken as hostage when his father and brother were not found in Kale Township, Sagaing Region on the night of June 19. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.19 MB 4.36 MB 992.51 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Updated 21 June 2021)
Description: "As of 21 June, (873) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Chaungzon Township in Mon State were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of June 21, a total of (5045) people are currently under detention; of them (196) are sentenced. 1950 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 18 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of June 20, Moe Zaw Oo and Zaw Min Oo, two youths from Abaid Village in Chaungzon Township, Mon State, were shot dead by junta soldiers when they did not stop riding a motorbike at a checkpoint in Mawlamyine, Mon State. In the morning of June 21, Nyein (Bago) a.k.a. Aung Ko, a writer from Bago and columnist at the Bago Weekly Journal, and his nephew Zaw Lin Htwe, a 16-year-old, were arrested at home in Bago. In addition to this, after a bomb blast near Pathein Hotel, Pathein Township in Ayeyarwady Region on the night of June 20, Tun Lin Aung, living in a nearby ward, was arrested on suspicion of involvement. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.2 MB 4.6 MB 989.18 KB
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Title: Striking Tanintharyi Teachers Threatened by Myanmar Junta
Description: "Myanmar’s military regime is using threats, dismissals and arrests to try and force striking school staff in Tanintharyi Region to return to work, after the junta’s reopening of public schools on June 1 flopped due to a lack of teachers. Seven teachers in the region have been arrested for joining the civil disobedience movement (CDM) and refusing to work under the regime. On Monday, the junta sentenced three detained teachers to three years in prison each for incitement. Less than a quarter of schools in Tanintharyi Region, southern Myanmar, opened on June 1 because so many teachers and education staff are on strike in protest at military rule. Those schools that have reopened are reporting a very low attendance of pupils, with parents and students choosing to boycott school enrolment under the regime. A member of the Basic Education Teachers Union in Tanintharyi who requested anonymity said that several striking teachers and education staff have been told to return to work, or else the regime will arrest their family members and seize their possessions. One township education administrator who was on strike for two months was forced back to work after her family were threatened, the teachers’ union member said. Hundreds of teachers who have joined the CDM are now in hiding to avoid arrest. Some 7,236 teachers and education staff in Taninitharyi Region were recently removed from their duties. In Kin Maw Village in Tanintharyi, where just four out of 180 pupils at the local primary school are attending classes, parents were threatened alongside teachers in an effort to get children back in school. In a video file shared by Khit Thit media, a military colonel told the Kin Maw teachers and village elders that he wants at least 90 students to show up by June 21, and threatened to seize their children if that fails to happen. An official with the Myanmar Teachers Federation, who was recently suspended from one of Yangon’s universities for joining the CDM, said that despite the junta’s threats many of the striking teachers and education staff are determined to continue to fight until the fall of the dictatorship and the return of a civilian government elected by the people..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-06-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 17 June, (865) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 17 June, a total of (4962) people are currently under detention; of them (183) are sentenced. 1937 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On June 15, Yamin Htike a.k.a. Htike Htike, a middle school teacher at the Basic Education High School in Mi Kyaung Ye Town, Magway Region, who was involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), was arrested in Magway. A protest strike in Thayet Hna Khwa Village, Thayetchaung Township, Tanintharyi Region, was cracked down by a private car. Six policemen sped by and opened fire into the air on the evening of June 14. During this crackdown, Thi Thi Mar, a local villager was arrested. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.18 MB 4.4 MB 985.47 KB
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Title: Myanmar: State of Fear - 101 East exposes a secret interrogation centre and claims of torture
Description: "Since a military coup in February, a climate of terror has engulfed Myanmar. Disappearances, detention without charge, alleged torture and mysterious deaths are just some of the actions under the spotlight following widespread protests against the military takeover. 101 East uses witness testimony and forensic analysis to expose a secret interrogation centre in the country's biggest city, Yangon. This investigation also reveals how Western tech firms have sold surveillance software and data extraction tools to the country. In a special collaboration with Lighthouse Reports and Forensic Architecture, we reveal how the military is creating a state of fear..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera English" (Qatar)
Date of publication: 2021-06-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 16 June, (865) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region was killed the previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 16 June, a total of (4911) people are currently under detention; of them (182) are sentenced. 1937 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of June 14, Su Paing Htwe a.k.a Paing Paing, died from severe bleeding when he did not receive adequate medical treatment after being shot in the stomach by junta’s forces while riding a motorcycle at Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region. After junta forces set fire to homes in Kingma Village in Magway Region’s Pauk Township on the evening of June 15, Some elderly and a disabled villager were killed, and buffalos and cattles died. In addition to this, a villager was shot in the thigh and some villagers arrested. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.18 MB 4.26 MB 981.72 KB
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Title: National Unity Government: Announcement No.6/2021 - ပြည်ထောင်စုသမ္မတမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော် အမျိုးသားညီညွတ်ရေးအစိုးရ ကြေညာချက်အမှတ် (၆/၂၀၂၁)
Description: "ကြေညာချက်အမှတ် (၆/၂၀၂၁) ၁၆ ဇွန် ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ် ၁။ အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်ကောင်စီသည် ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁ ရက်နေ့ အာဏာသိမ်းခဲ့သည့် အချိန်မှစ၍ တည်ဆဲဥပဒေများကို ချိုးဖောက်ပြီး နိုင်ငံတော်ခေါင်းဆောင်များ အပါအဝင် ပြည်သူလူထု တစ်ရပ်လုံးကို ဥပဒေနှင့်ညီညွတ်ခြင်းမရှိပဲအကြောင်းအမျိုးမျိုးဖြင့် ဖမ်းဆီးချုပ်နှောင်ခြင်း၊ မတရားသော ဥပဒေပုဒ်မများဖြင့် အမှုဆင်အရေးယူခြင်း၊ တရားမျှတမှုမဲ့စွာ စီရင်ဆုံးဖြတ်ပြီး ထောင်သွင်းအကျဉ်းချခြင်းများကို ဆိုးရွားစွာ ဆက်တိုက် ကျူးလွန်လျက်ရှိသည်။ ၂။ အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အဆိုပါလုပ်ဆောင်ချက်များသည် လူ့အခွင့်အရေးနှင့် နိုင်ငံသား အခွင့်အရေးများ ကို ပြောင်ပြောင်တင်းတင်း ချိုးဖောက်နေခြင်းသာမက ရာဇဝတ်ပြစ်ဒဏ်ထိုက်သော ပြစ်မှုကြီးများကို စနစ်တကျ ဂိုဏ်းဖွဲ့၍ ကျူးလွန်နေခြင်းလည်း ဖြစ်သည်။ ၃။ နိုင်ငံတော်သမ္မတ ဦးဝင်းမြင့်၊ နိုင်ငံတော်၏အတိုင်ပင်ခံပုဂ္ဂိုလ် ဒေါ်အောင်ဆန်းစုကြည်အပါအဝင် အခြားခေါင်းဆောင်များ အပေါ် ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဇွန်လ ၉ ရက်နေ့၌ အဂတိလိုက်စားမှုတိုက်ဖျက်ရေးဥပဒေ ပုဒ်မ ၅၅ နှင့် ပုဒ်မ ၅၅ ⁄ ၆၃ တို့အရ သက်ဆိုင်ရာ ရဲစခန်းအသီးသီးတွင် တိုင်ချက်ဖွင့်၍ တရားစွဲဆိုခြင်း၊ အရေးယူရန် ဆောင်ရွက်ခြင်းသည် နိုင်ငံတော်၏အတိုင်ပင်ခံပုဂ္ဂိုလ်အပါအဝင် ပြည်သူတို့၏ရွေးကောက်တင်မြှောက်မှုဖြင့် တာဝန်ယူခဲ့ကြသော ခေါင်းဆောင်များကို မတရားအာဏာသိမ်းမှုနှင့်အတူ ဖမ်းဆီးချုပ်နှောင်ထားပြီး အမျိုးမျိုးသော ပြစ်မှု ပုဒ်မများဖြင့် အမှုဆင် လုပ်ကြံစွပ်စွဲခြင်းများအနက်မှ တစ်ခုဖြစ်ကြောင်း ထင်ရှားလျက်ရှိသည်။ စစ်ကောင်စီသည် မိမိတို့၏ဥပဒေမဲ့လုပ်ရပ်များကို ဤကဲ့သို့သော မသမာသည့် နည်းလမ်းဖြင့် ခေါင်းဆောင်ကြီးများ၏ ဂုဏ်သိက္ခာကိုထိပါးစေအောင် အာဃာတကြီးစွာ ကြံစည်ပုံဖျက်ခြင်းဖြင့် ထွက်ပေါက်ရမည်ဟု ယူဆပြီး မိုက်မဲစွာ လုပ်ဆောင်ခြင်းသာဖြစ်သည်။ ၄။ အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်ကောင်စီသည် ပြည်သူလူထုက အာဏာအပ်နှင်းထားသော ပြည်သူ့အစိုးရထံမှ နိုင်ငံတော်၏အာဏာကို လက်နက်အားကိုးဖြင့် သိမ်းယူထားခြင်းကြောင့် တရားဝင်အစိုးရမဟုတ်သကဲ့သို့ ၎င်းတို့က ဖွဲ့စည်းထားသော တရားရုံးများသည်လည်း တရားဝင်တရားရုံးများမဟုတ်သည်မှာ ထင်ရှားပါသည်။ ၅။ အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အထက်ဖော်ပြပါဆောင်ရွက်ချက်သည် ဥပဒေကို အလွဲသုံးစား လုပ်သည်သာမက နိုင်ငံတော်၏ ဂုဏ်သိက္ခာကို ကျဆင်းထိခိုက်စေပြီး ကမ္ဘာ့အလယ်တွင် ရှက်ဖွယ်လိလိ ဖြစ်စေသည့် တရားစီရင်ရေး ဆိုင်ရာ ယုတ်မာကောက်ကျစ်သည့် လုပ်ဆောင်ချက် သာလျှင်ဖြစ်ကြောင်း အတိအလင်းထုတ်ပြန်ကြေညာ လိုက်သည်။..."
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-06-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 495.43 KB
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Title: Student activists, journalists being mistreated in Insein prison, say family members
Sub-title: Relatives of seven young detainees say they are at risk since being separated and placed in cells with hardened criminals
Description: "Family members of seven detainees in Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison say that they are being mistreated by prison authorities for not complying with orders. The seven prisoners—five student activists and two freelance journalists—had been locked up together since their arrest in late February and March, but were separated on April 22 for refusing to read out the prison rules. They spent the next week in solitary confinement, and have since been placed in different cells with criminal prisoners, the family members said. “They each have to share a cell with more than a hundred criminals who are facing long years of imprisonment. They have been separated and can’t see each other,” said a relative of detained activist Hpone Htet Naung. Student activists Wai Yan Phyo Moe, Aung Hpone Maw, Lay Pyay Soe Moe, Thuta Soe, and Hpone Htet Naung are facing charges of incitement under Section 505a for taking part in anti-coup protests. Freelance journalists Soe Yarzar Tun and Banyar Oo were arrested while covering the protests. They have also been charged with incitement, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. All seven are being tried by a special court inside Insein Prison, according to relatives, who say that they have denied access to the prisoners. The family members said that the young detainees have received threats from criminal prisoners and are completely at the mercy of prison officials to resolve conflicts. “They aren’t being treated like political prisoners. They’re being treated like criminals. This is not right. They’re drained mentally and physically,” said a relative of one of the prisoners. Thet Naung, a lawyer representing Wai Yan Phyo Moe and Hpone Htet Naung, said his clients have also expressed concern about their current situation. “They told me at a hearing that they’ve been worried about their safety since they were placed with criminals,” he told Myanmar Now. One of the relatives said that the prisoners were being mistreated because of their strong political stance. “They were fighting for the truth. Student leaders like them are being oppressed so that they can no longer defy the military. It’s like a warning. It’s political persecution,” he said. However, the family members said they were confident that the detainees would not give in to pressure. “The military puts dissidents in prison, barely keeping them alive. It is killing their futures. But I believe my son will keep fighting until his last breath. He is strong-willed and has a strong stance,” said Wai Yan Phyo Moe’s mother..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-06-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 15 June, (864) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Depayin Township in Sagaing Region was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 15 June, a total of (4893) people are currently under detention; of them (182) are sentenced. 1937 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. In the evening of June 14, Aung San from Boke Village in Sagaing Region’s Depayin Township was shot dead in the chest when the junta troops opened fire on villages after two daughters of a coup council-appointed village administrator in Kyi Village, Depayin Township were stabbed to death. The terrorist forces searched for youth protestors to arrest in Patheingyi Township after two police were shot dead in Mandalay Region’s Patheingyi Township. A mother, who is not in good health, elder sister and brother were taken as hostages on June 11 when the junta forces did not find the two brothers who are pro-democracy demonstrators in Patheingyi Township. Lwin Maung Maung, Regional Hluttaw MP for Meiktila Constituency No.1, currently detained in Meiktila Prison, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on May 12 without trial. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.18 MB 4.32 MB 982.07 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 14 June, (863) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 14 June, a total of (4880) people are currently under detention; of them (178) are sentenced. 1937 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Doctor Maung Maung Nyein Tun, lecturer of surgery at the University of Medicine in Mandalay, and Swe Zin Oo, a specialist doctor at Mandalay Public Hospital, were arrested on June 13 in Mandalay City. Mar Mar Khaing, MP for No.2 constituency in Thaton Township, Mon State and her husband Nyan Tun, Executive Committee member of NLD of Kyaikmaraw Township, under detention in Kyaikmaraw Prison, were charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code on June 11 by the Thaton Township Court. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.19 MB 4.48 MB 974.1 KB
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Title: Meiktila NLD lawmaker handed three-year prison sentence without trial
Sub-title: Mandalay regional parliamentarian Lwin Maung Maung is the brother of Saffron Revolution leader and former political prisoner U Gambira
Description: "A detained Mandalay regional parliamentarian with the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been sentenced to three years in prison by the military council without a trial, his family members said. Lwin Maung Maung, who would have represented Meiktila Constituency 1 if not for the February 1 military coup, was arrested on the night of April 28 after briefly returning to his home following a period in hiding. The 38-year-old lived in Meiktila’s industrial zone, 10 miles from the town. His family was barred from visiting him in Meiktila Prison, and were only permitted to deliver supplies to him on May 12. On that day, they learned of his prison sentence, but said that the charges against him are still unknown. Yay, Lwin Maung Maung’s mother and a former school teacher, told Myanmar Now that 12 military vehicles and police cars were used in her son’s arrest. “They arrested him because they wanted to—they sentenced him to prison time because they can, even though there is no legal basis for it,” she said. “They arrested him because he is an NLD member. Actually he had enough time to evade arrest, but he didn’t. I think he worried that if he tried to escape, the junta would arrest me as his mother.” Lwin Maung Maung was known for assisting Mandalay Region farmers in issues related to the confiscation of their land by the military, Yay explained. She said that she discouraged him from running in Myanmar’s 2020 election, but he told her that he wanted to advance land rights in parliament. The MP is the younger brother of Nyi Nyi Lwin, also known by his monastic name U Gambira, a leader of the 2007 Saffron Revolution. U Gambira was arrested in 2007, interrogated and tortured for his involvement in the anti-military protests. He was handed a prison sentence of 68 years, but released in a general amnesty in 2012. “There is no one in our house who has not been imprisoned for politics,” Yay said. “Our family members were imprisoned in 1988, 2007 and 2021. It’s like they have a license to be imprisoned.” Myanmar Now tried to contact the military council’s information department for comment on Lwin Maung Maung’s sentencing, but received no response. Meiktila District is home to a large number of military bases, and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party won the area’s seats in the 2015 general election. However, in 2020, the NLD won the majority of votes in the area. In addition to Lwin Maung Maung in the regional parliament, Lower House NLD candidate Dr Sint Soe won a seat, as did Upper House NLD candidate Phone Kyaw. Maung Maung Gyi, also from the NLD, won the second regional parliamentary seat. After the military coup, which was staged on the pretext of voter fraud, NLD lawmakers and prominent party supporters in Meiktila Township were forced to flee the junta’s arrests. The military council has repeatedly prosecuted dissidents, including NLD members, under Section 505a of the Penal Code for incitement, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-06-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: As Aung San Suu Kyi goes on trial, ASEAN’s indecision is enabling military rampage
Description: "The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must stop shielding the Myanmar military from international pressure and accountability, Amnesty International said today as the country's human rights crisis continues to worsen dramatically. With the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi having started on 14 June, the organization further urges all ASEAN member states to finally get behind calls for the release of all those arbitrarily detained in the country and support measures to stop the flow of weapons to the Myanmar military. “ASEAN’s usual commitment to non-interference is enabling the military’s deadly rampage, fuelling a human rights and humanitarian crisis that will sink both ASEAN’s credibility and the very stability it seeks to uphold,” said Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research. “Millions of people in Myanmar are losing faith in ASEAN. The regional bloc must change course and offer a lifeline to people in Myanmar by getting behind international efforts to protect civilians and urge the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including Aung San Suu Kyi.” Aung San Suu Kyi is currently facing a total of seven charges. If found guilty, she can face decades in prison and will effectively be barred from holding office again. Her charges include violating Section 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law, the Official Secrets Act, Section 67 of the Telecommunications Law and the Export and Import Law (possessing walkie talkies in her home). She also faces two charges under Section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law and “incitement” under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code. “The military is digging deep into its arsenal of repressive laws, including those from the colonial-era, in a desperate attempt to silence Aung San Suu Kyi, opposition leaders and many other vocal critics who have been arbitrarily detained,” said Emerlynne Gil. The Myanmar security forces continue to kill, injure and arrest civilians. Since the 1 February coup, an estimated 863 civilians, including 58 children, have been killed and a countless number of people have been injured, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – Burma (AAPPB). Reports of torture and deaths in custody keep emerging. Internet restrictions remain in place, and media freedom is severely restricted. Meanwhile, fighting between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and groups of protesters taking up arms is escalating and spreading across the country, killing or injuring civilians, damaging civilian properties, and displacing hundreds of thousands of women, men and children. Recent clashes, including air raids, in Karenni or Kayah State alone has displaced estimated 100,000 civilians who are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Approximately 200,000 civilians have been displaced so far this year, adding to over 300,000 existing displaced persons reliant on humanitarian aid. High-level meeting exposes faltering ASEAN diplomacy On 4 June, a high-level delegation comprised of ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and Erywan Pehin Yusof, the second minister for foreign affairs for Brunei, the current chair of ASEAN, met with coup leader and head of the Myanmar military authorities, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s capital. The high-level meeting in Nay Pyi Taw reported little tangible progress on ASEAN’s “Five-Point Consensus” on the Myanmar crisis, including calls for the cessation of violence, humanitarian access and the appointment of an ASEAN special envoy on Myanmar. ASEAN must implement a call for Myanmar to release arbitrary detainees In one welcome advance, in a statement after the meeting, the Chairman of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Erywan Pehin Yusof, called for the release of political detainees in Myanmar. According to AAPPB, as of 13 June, 4,863 people are currently detained or have been sentenced in in the wake of the 1 February coup, including the country’s elected civilian leadership. “The belated commitment of a senior ASEAN official to the release of the political opposition is welcome and essential and we hope that this view is adopted as consensus by ASEAN,” said Emerlynne Gil. “It should also be clear that ASEAN’s mediation efforts would be all but impossible if key stakeholders are all behind bars.” “ASEAN should place top priority on demanding that the Myanmar military immediately release not only prominent political detainees, but all of the thousands of people arbitrarily detained, and call for their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly,” said Emerlynne Gil. Shocking lack of progress since ASEAN emergency summit The Five-Point Consensus was agreed at an emergency summit in Jakarta attended by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on 24 April, but the Myanmar military authorities have since repeatedly stated that it would not act upon the plan until the country had reached “stability.” Between the ASEAN summit and 13 June, 115 more people have been killed and 1,474 more people are arbitrarily detained or sentenced. "Myanmar's generals are making a mockery of ASEAN's meek efforts to lead the international response - continuing to kill, jail, and drive the country into the ground before the ink had dried on ASEAN's 'Five Point Consensus'," said Emerlynne Gil. “The regional bloc must get behind efforts at the UN to protect civilians, ensure their humanitarian needs are adequately met, urgently stop the flow of weapons to the military and secure the release of all those arbitrarily detained.” Growing calls at the UN for a global arms embargo on Myanmar ASEAN states continue to negotiate with the states sponsoring a UN General Assembly resolution to address the human rights crisis in Myanmar, of which only some of the ASEAN members are supportive of a comprehensive arms embargo. “ASEAN must support the passing of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a halt of weapons transfers to the Myanmar military. Anything less is an abdication of ASEAN’s leadership role on the Myanmar crisis, and shows ASEAN is siding with a military that is continuing to kill and imprison unarmed protesters and other civilians. Even if adopted, a call for halting transfers by the UNGA has only moral force and may not deter the major arms suppliers to the military – including China, Russia and India. The UN Security Council must urgently then make a comprehensive global arms embargo on Myanmar mandatory for all states to stop the military's killing spree against its own people. “Whether through willful obstruction or internal disagreement, ASEAN has become the Myanmar military's shield at the highest levels of global diplomacy. Instead, ASEAN states must stand together against rampant military atrocities and urgently get behind the calls for a global and comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar.”..."
Source/publisher: "Amnesty International" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Teachers, students keep protests alive in ‘f***ing stubborn’ Monywa
Sub-title: Despite the dangers, protesters in the Sagaing Region capital say they will keep hitting the streets – to send a strong message to the people, the junta and the world, and to honour fallen comrades.
Description: "The 36-year-old private school teacher grimaced as she lowered herself to the floor of the safe house. It was one of many she had called home in recent months, since the security forces put out a warrant for her arrest. The brace enclosing her waist hinted at her bruising escape from a crackdown in early April, when the security forces pummeled her with batons. If the teacher went to hospital, she risked arrest, so instead she met her family doctor in secret. Still, she considers herself lucky. “Some others weren’t able to get away that day,” said the teacher, who asked not to be named for security reasons. Despite the near-constant pain, the teacher spoke with steely determination about the protest movement in her hometown of Monywa, the Sagaing Region capital, where teachers and students have led opposition to the Tatmadaw’s February 1 coup. She insisted that the violent crackdowns since late February, including the shooting of unarmed protesters, have failed to subdue opposition to military rule. “Some people think Monywa is getting quiet now, but they’re the ones who are doing nothing for the revolution – the ones who are at home, scrolling through their phones and reading news,” said the teacher, a mother of two children. “We keep doing as much as we can. There are now a lot of restrictions in Monywa that make it very hard for us to protest. But we understand that every part of this revolution needs to stay strong.” Even as resistance has shifted to armed struggle, including in the Dry Zone countryside around Monywa, residents still organise near-daily protests against the regime. Today it one of the few major towns where demonstrations continue on a regular basis. During a visit to Monywa in May, resistance leaders emphasised to Frontier the importance of maintaining street protests in tandem with the public sector strikes under the Civil Disobedience Movement, and alongside the work of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, a body formed by ousted lawmakers in February that has since appointed a parallel National Unity Government. Because its protest movement has endured in the face of extreme violence, young resistance leaders proudly refer to their town as “sauk kyaw tin Monywa” (fucking stubborn Monywa). On May 4, Frontier observed a flash protest in which more than 100 people converged from different areas onto a ward where the security presence was light. Scouts first observed the ward, including major roads, for signs of police or soldiers, and once they gave the all-clear the participants marched quickly through the streets, chanting slogans loudly to catch the attention of nearby residents. Many people emerged from their homes to clap or join the chanting, sometimes presenting energy drinks and water bottles to the marchers. The protest lasted less than 20 minutes, and afterwards the participants gathered briefly in a narrow residential street to listen to protest leaders. “The street protests that triggered this Spring Revolution … have not disappeared yet,” Ko Than Kyaw Oo, the chair of Monywa University Students’ Union, told them. “These protests are like a fist punch to the vulnerable sternum of the military council. It causes them a lot of trouble. However much they want to, they can’t control the town,” he said. “We will keep on protesting and our town will still be known as ‘fucking stubborn Monywa’.”.....Everything ‘gone to waste’: On the day of the coup, teacher Daw Mya San Kywe was in Monywa helping to mark exam papers. “I cried that day,” the 42-year-old mother of three told Frontier. “But I was also angry – so were many other people here in Monywa.” She resolved to do whatever she could to oppose the military. On February 6, she and other teachers from her school, Basic Education High School Nyaung Phyu Pin, launched a photo campaign, posing in their green and white uniforms and giving the three-finger salute that quickly became a symbol of opposition to the regime. Two days later, 31 of the 45 teachers from the school took part in a protest. Sources in Monywa estimate that around two-thirds of all teachers in the district, which includes three other townships besides Monywa, have gone on strike and joined the CDM, a relatively high rate. NLD lawmaker U Myint Htwe, who won the Sagaing Region Hluttaw seat of Ye-U 2 in the November election, said local teachers had been invaluable in resisting military rule. “We are all grateful and thankful for their efforts in this revolution,” he said. Although Mya San Kywe no longer takes part in demonstrations, she remains active in the resistance movement, helping to raise and distribute donations for striking workers who have joined the CDM. Mya San Kywe’s younger sister, Daw San San Lin, also teaches at a school in Monywa. They had both been optimistic about the future of education in Myanmar, particularly the prospects for further reform during the National League for Democracy’s second term, which was meant to start this year. They said they knew straight away that the military’s power grab had put paid to any chance of that. “It felt like everything we had been trying to achieve had gone to waste,” said Mya San Kywe. When she got news of the coup, San San Lin was waiting for her husband-to-be to arrive in Monywa for their wedding, due two days later on February 3. The communications shutdown meant that she was unable to reach him for most of the day, and she wondered whether the ceremony would still go ahead. Although they were able to marry as planned, the couple were in no mood to celebrate. From the following day, they dedicated themselves to the Spring Revolution, joining the CDM and participating in protests. She said teacher strikes had helped to sustain opposition to the coup in multiple ways. “The number of teachers in Myanmar is higher than the number of military personnel. That’s why I feel our CDM is as important as the others,” San San Lin said, referring to other public sector walkouts. “Other government employees also don’t have contact with students like we do. So if teachers participate in the revolution then youths get more involved too. If a teacher is in danger or threatened with arrest, the students will stand by them.” Despite their determination, San San Lwin and Mya San Kywe have both been shocked at the regime’s brutality, particularly towards young protesters. Figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners show that security forces have killed 27 people and arrested 80 in Monywa from April 3 to June 7. Mya San Kywe said she’s tired of the loss of life and hopes the Spring Revolution will succeed soon, so that fewer people have to die. “When I saw young people dead on the road, even though I didn’t know them personally, my heart was broken,” Mya San Kywe said, before adding with grim humour: “Even when my ex-husband left me to marry another woman, I wasn’t that sad.”.....Fallen heroes: After several weeks of swelling protests in which tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of Monywa, the security forces launched their first major crackdown on February 27. About 200 people, mostly teachers and students, were surrounded by security forces near Zaung Kyan Bin monastery, in the middle of town. At first security forces started shooting with teargas and stun grenades, but around 11am opened fire with live rounds. A restaurant owner was shot in his thigh and a teacher was shot in her abdomen but both survived, said U Myo Min Oo, a member of the Thumaydar volunteer organisation that has helped transport and treat those injured in the protests. He said he was shocked at the violence, but it would soon get much worse. Just seven days later, he watched as police and soldiers opened fire on a protest organised by the town’s General Strike Committee. “The protest group was taking a break in the afternoon at the corner of Aung Mahar and Pyidaungsu roads, near Hpayani Pagoda. The protesters had some food and then when they started moving to resume their march the security forces emerged and shot them immediately with live rounds,” said Myo Min Oo. The nine fallen heroes that day included poet and educator Ma Myint Myint Zin, 34. Better known to many by her penname, Kyi Lin Aye, she started writing poems and novellas in high school. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, she dedicated herself to education, volunteering as a teacher at monastic schools in the area. She and her younger brother, Ko Win Min Latt, also co-founded a social welfare association, Myitta Dika, that funded teachers, books and meals for orphans and other children whose parents could not afford to send them to school. Win Min Latt said that immediately after the coup, his sister began organising small protests in their neighbourhood, during which residents banged pots and pans, sung revolutionary songs and chanted slogans condemning the coup. “Even though she had never been involved with political parties or political movements before, she knew this the coup would be bad for the country,” he said. From February 6, Myint Myint Zin began organising larger demonstrations, encouraging her friends and students to take part. “From that day until the day she died, she was involved [in the revolution],” Win Min Latt said. Like many protesters, she knew the risks she was taking. On the day she was shot dead, she had written her blood type and her mother’s phone number on her arm with a marker, along with a message that her body was to be donated to Mandalay General Hospital. Win Min Latt got the news about his sister just a few minutes after she was shot. Not long after, he learned she’d died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. “My heart felt totally empty,” he said. “She was such an amazing person, I just felt it was such a waste. We weren’t just siblings; we were great friends. So, I’ve lost not only a sister but also a friend.” The next day, Monywa residents renamed Aung Mahar Road, where Myint Myint Zin and eight others had died, as Arzani (martyrs) Road..... Honouring sacrifice: Students have also been integral to Monywa’s resistance movement; and as the security forces have grown more violent, they’ve also borne the brunt of the casualties. “Some of our comrades have died in our arms,” said Ko Khant Wai Phyo, a student activist and leading member of the Monywa General Strike Committee. “We feel we’re responsible for sustaining the movement and making sure their hopes are fulfilled.” Ko Aung Kyaw, another student activist who is also part of the strike committee, echoed his words. “Every revolution requires sacrifice, but we don’t want these sacrifices to be in vain,” he said. “We will keep on fighting until we achieve the goal these fallen heroes were striving for.” Like the teachers, the students are committed to ensuring that protests continue in Monywa, despite the risks. They and other activists said this was important for a number of reasons: to show that the people still reject military rule, to maintain hope that the revolution will succeed, and to remind the world that the people of Myanmar are still under dictatorship. To maintain the momentum, activists try to organise at least one protest a day. This can take the form of motorcycle rallies in areas of Monywa town with a light security presence, but when there are too many soldiers or police in the town, they demonstrate in nearby villages instead. Teacher Ma Soe Myint Htwe, who had to flee with her family into a forest when clashes erupted between a civilian militia and the Tatmadaw, said she would “stay with the CDM until the dictators fall”. “There’s no way I can work under them,” said the 24-year-old, who had shelved plans to pursue a master’s degree in order to join local protests. “I want them to be annihilated as soon as possible – the longer they’re in power, the more likely we are to return to the dark days of the past...”
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-06-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Three Striking Teachers Jailed by Myanmar Junta
Description: "Three striking teachers in Myeik Township, Tanintharyi Region, were each sentenced on Monday to three years in prison for incitement for participating in the civil disobedience movement (CDM) against the regime. Daw Nay Chi Htwe and Daw Chit Myat Thu were detained together at their home on March 31 and charged with Article 505(a) of the Penal Code for allegedly lobbying other staff on social media to join the CDM. The teachers, who are related, were beaten during the arrest. U Nyein Chan Oo, a high-school teacher, was detained in early April in Myeik, on the same charge. The three were held in Myeik Prison and sentenced on Monday, a member of the basic education teachers’ union in Tanintharyi Region said. “They were sentenced for expressing their views peacefully by joining the CDM,” the member said. Many civil servants have been on strike since the Feb. 1 coup, refusing to work under military rule. Striking teachers have been jailed across the country and many have been officially suspended. In Tanintharyi Region, 7,236 striking educators and administrative staff were removed from their duties, according to the regional teachers’ union. Seven arrests have been made. Hundreds of striking Tanintharyi teachers went into hiding to evade arrest in May when the regime threatened them with arrest if they failed to return to work when the schools reopened. “Several schools can’t open as a majority of teachers went on strike. Only very few schools could open and less than a quarter of pupils have returned,” a Tanintharyi teacher said. The junta opened public schools on June 1 amid efforts to normalize the country but attendances have been very low nationwide..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-06-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Urgent Call for the Release of Myanmar filmmaker Ma Aeint
Sub-title: We call for the Myanmar authorities to immediately and unconditionally release filmmaker Ma Aeint.
Description: "The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR*) and its founding institutions, the European Film Academy, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and International Film Festival Rotterdam, together with the undersigning, call for the Myanmar authorities to immediately and unconditionally release filmmaker Ma Aeint. Ma Aeint was a producer and co-writer of MONEY HAS FOUR LEGS which ran in the New Currents competition at the 2020 Busan International Film Festival and is an alumna of FAMU Summer Filmmaking Initiation Campus, Locarno Open Doors Lab, as well as Ties That Bind. Leaving her house on 5 June, she was detained and is currently being held in an undisclosed place, with no official explanation. We are very concerned for the well-being of Ma Aeint. We encourage all film and culture institutions around the world to join us in calling upon the Myanmar authorities to immediately and unconditionally release her. If there are any charges against her, they must be made clear, though her safety must first be guaranteed. Berlin International Film Festival Busan International Film Festival Eurodoc European Film Promotion FAMU FERA Festival de Cannes Festival des 3 Continents FIFDH FSE German Film Academy Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Locarno Film Festival MEMORY ! MOOOV Morelia International Film Festival Mostra de Cinema Àrab i Mediterrani de Catalunya Movies that Matter Quinzaine des réalisateurs Cannes SEAFIC Semaine de la Critique Cannes Sicilia Queer filmfest Sundance Institute Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film Sydney Film Festival Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Tokyo International Film Festival Udine Far East Film Festival Venice Film Festival Visions du Réel..."
Source/publisher: The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk
Date of publication: 2021-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Striking Myanmar Medics Face up to Six Years in Jail
Description: "Myanmar’s military regime has charged the national immunization director and others 26 doctors with the Unlawful Association Act and incitement under the Penal Code for allegedly assisting the National Unity Government (NUG). Dr. Htar Htar Lin, the national immunization director, was arrested on Thursday in Yangon. Her husband, seven-year-old son, friend and her daughter were also detained with her. Their whereabouts are unknown. Two other doctors, Dr. Maung Maung Nyein Tun and Dr. Swe Zin Oo, are among 26 suspects charged with her who were arrested on Sunday in Mandalay, a source told The Irrawaddy. On Saturday night, the junta-controlled media announced that Dr. Htar Htar Lin formed the civil disobedience movement’s (CDM) core group and assisted the NUG, which it has designated as a terrorist group. The state-controlled media said she confessed to communicating with Dr. Zaw Wai Soe, the NUG’s shadow health minister, through the applications Signal and Zoom. She helped write speeches and NUG health-care policy documents and helped prepare for Zoom meetings and plan to implement the NUG health-care programs, including estimating required drugs and costs, the state media stated. It said she will be prosecuted under Article 17 of the Unlawful Association Act and Article 505(a) of the Penal Code for communicating with a “terrorist organization” and working with Dr. Zaw Wai Soe, who is in hiding and acting health minister in the NUG. He also has two other ministerial portfolios. It made the same accusation against 26 other doctors who it said had accepted NUG public health, state health administration and clinician team roles. The state media broadcast their names and photos and called on the public to give evidence against them. It said anyone who hides the suspects would face prosecution. Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act penalizes anyone who has joined an unlawful association or is taking part in its activities with up to three years in prison. Incitement under the Penal Code also carries three-year terms. Several medics and Ministry of Health and Sports staff have been charged for participating in the CDM and for running secret clinics for wounded demonstrators. At least 51 striking medics, including superintendents, academics, surgeons and other hospital staff, have been arrested with many still in detention and facing prosecution. The regime also issued warrants for prominent CDM doctors, including Dr. Zaw Wai Soe and Dr. Htar Htar Lin. Thousands of medical staff are in hiding. The CDM was launched by medics on Feb. 3 in protest against the junta and followed by other government workers nationwide..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 13 June, (863) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Demoso Township in Kayah State was killed on a previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 13 June, a total of (4863) people are currently under detention; of them (178) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. In the morning of June 11, May Lar was shot dead when he was bringing food back to Padan Kho Village from a displaced camp in Demoso Township in Kayah State because they lacked food. Two lawyers from Hpa-an Township in Karen State, who are representing political detainees including Karen State Chief Minister Nan Khin Htwe Myint, were arrested on June 10 at Myawaddy in Karen State. A lawsuit was filed against them under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code at Myawaddy Police Station. In addition to this, Kyaw Myat Min, a political activist, who was charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, was arrested at Hlae Kyaw Kone Village Monastery which is located in Pathein Township in Ayeyarwady Region on the night of June 10. While the monk was being arrested he was defrocked. Moreover, Aung Ko Min, a disabled man, living in Dawei in Tanintharyi Region, was arrested after leaving his home in a wheelchair on June 11. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 4.51 MB 1.19 MB 974.45 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 12 June, (862) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Demoso Township in Kayah State was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 12 June, a total of (4848) people are currently under detention; of them (178) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. In the morning of June 11, Saw Bel Kream Hel a.k.a Khun Bel Bel was shot twice in the chest and died on the spot while he was helping to push a pick-up truck. In the evening of June 11, doctor Ye Zin Aung, Obstetrician-Gynecologist from Myingyan Hospital, was arrested at Myingyan Town in Mandalay Region. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.19 MB 4.4 MB 983.78 KB
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Title: Myanmar Junta: End Systematic Attack on the People of Myanmar, Reverse Coup d’état
Sub-title: Scores killed and injured, more than 1,400 arrested
Description: "The Myanmar military junta must immediately end its deadly nationwide attack against nonviolent protesters and return power to the elected government, Fortify Rights said today. The junta’s forces killed at least 61 people in at least seven regions and states throughout the country since a February 1 coup d’état, according to various sources. Yesterday alone, soldiers and police reportedly killed at least 38 people. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council will convene in New York City to discuss the situation in Myanmar. “Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his murderous junta are systematically terrorizing the people of Myanmar,” said Ismail Wolff, Regional Director of Fortify Rights. “We’re witnessing security forces commit targeted extrajudicial killings and other widespread violations. The Security Council should urgently impose a global arms embargo against the military.” Since February 27, the Myanmar military and police have dramatically escalated the use of excessive and lethal force against unarmed protesters in almost all of the country’s 14 states and regions. According to Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the junta’s forces killed at least 23 people from early February to March 1. Yesterday, the military and police killed an additional 38 people, according to the U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener. The police and military killed men, women, and children. Victims included students, a carpenter, an engineer, a teacher, and others. Video footage shared widely on social media shows military soldiers and police officers shooting into crowds of unarmed people, shooting into private residences, brutally beating and arbitrarily arresting people, including medical workers and journalists, and destroying property. In two videos filmed yesterday and shared online, two bloodied, lifeless bodies lay on a street reportedly in Monywa, Sagaing Region. In one clip, two police officers drag one of the bodies down the road; in another clip, four officers carry a body down the same road. In another video reportedly filmed in North Okkalapa in Yangon, a dozen police officers surround a man and escort him out of a building and onto a street. A gunshot then rings out, and the man collapses to the pavement. An officer then kicks the man’s lifeless body, and then another officer drags the body away. Open-source photographs and videos show Myanmar Army soldiers holding automatic weapons, long-range sniper rifles, and other firearms. Police also used less-lethal weapons, including rubber bullets, slingshots, tear gas, and water cannons, against unarmed protesters. The similar use of excessive and lethal force by security forces in towns and cities throughout the country demonstrates coordination between units and an overarching national strategy, said Fortify Rights. All military and police in the chain of command should be held liable for crimes committed against the people of Myanmar. The junta has also arbitrarily arrested, charged, or sentenced at least 1,498 people since the February 1 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a human rights organization monitoring arrests and detentions in Myanmar. On February 1, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing orchestrated a military coup d’état, overthrowing the elected government and detaining President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, dozens of other government leaders, parliamentarians, and human rights defenders. The junta took over the executive, judicial, and legislative levers of power and, on February 2, created a military-appointed “State Administration Council” (SAC) to rule the country. On March 1, the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, comprising elected members of parliament, declared the SAC a “Terrorist Group” for its “atrocities and acts of terrorism.” Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly on February 26, Myanmar’s ambassador to the U.N., Kyaw Moe Tun, told member states that he represented the elected government of the National League for Democracy and called on the international community to use “any means necessary to take action” against the military to help “restore the democracy,” adding: “We need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people, and to restore the democracy.” The U.N. Security Council should impose a global arms embargo against the Myanmar military, sanctions against Myanmar military individuals, entities, and assets, and refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, said Fortify Rights. Failing that, the U.N. General Assembly should hold an emergency special session to address the crisis. “Soldiers and police in Myanmar are behaving like death squads and committing grave human rights violations,” said Ismail Wolff. “The world must take immediate action. There is no way out of this other than a complete repudiation of the coup and the junta.”..."
Source/publisher: "Fortify Rights"
Date of publication: 2021-03-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 11 June, (861) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Yenangyaung Township in Magway Region was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 11 June, a total of (4823) people are currently under detention; of them (176) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of June 10, Maung Chit Thae a.k.a Chit Ko Win, a university student, was shot dead on the spot while he was passing through the front of Yenangyaung Government Technical Institute (GTI) riding a motorcycle at Yenangyaung Township in Magway Region. On the night of June 10, Myo Win Aung, photographer, was arrested at home by so-called police and soldiers at Taungdwingyi Township in Magway Region. On June 5, Ma Eaint, a filmmaker, was arrested by the junta in Rangoon while leaving her home. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.19 MB 4.34 MB 972.22 KB
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Title: Myanmar Junta Jails Disabled Student, Denies him Medical Treatment
Description: "A student from Magwe badly wounded in a junta crackdown on anti-regime protesters and at risk of going blind in one eye has been denied medical treatment by the military regime and imprisoned instead. Ko Liang Phyo Aung, a 22-year-old second-year engineering student at Magwe Technological University, was severely injured in his right eye after a violent crackdown by junta forces on an anti-regime demonstration in Magwe on March 27. He also lost his right hand, his left arm was broken and his mobility severely impaired by the wounds he suffered from being hit in the legs by multiple rubber bullets. He received treatment for those injuries while in detention at a military hospital, where in April the junta charged him with incitement under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. The student was then sent to Magwe Prison on June 7, after the military hospital said that he is recovering from all his injuries except for his injured eye. But the military hospital stated also that his eye needs to be treated at Yangon Eye Hospital because the military hospital lacks a specialist eye doctor. “His eye is oozing pus and is in urgent need of surgery. There is no eye specialist at the military hospital and he needs to be sent to Yangon for a cornea transplant,” said the elder brother of Ko Liang Phyo Aung. “The medical report by the military hospital said his eye needs to be treated at Yangon Eye Hospital. But they sent him to prison right after the medical report was released,” he added. The report also said that Ko Liang Phyo Aung still needs rehabilitation as he could not walk well due to his leg injuries inflicted by rubber bullets. U Myat Thu Win, chairman of the Shwe Minn Tha Foundation, a group advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, requested that Ko Liang Phyo Aung be given treatment under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Myanmar has ratified, and under Myanmar’s own law protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. “He used to be normal and became disabled only a few months ago. It will be hard for him to get used to it and perform daily activities. What is important is that he has every right to continue receiving treatment. I would like to request that he is given further treatment,” said U Myat Thu Win. Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, Ko Liang Pyo Aung has the right to apply for bail to receive emergency health care. Citing Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, lawyer U Khin Maung Myint said the judge can grant bail for accused people who are sick if there are reasonable grounds for believing that they have not committed an offence punishable with death or with transportation for life. “The maximum penalty for violating Section 505(a) of the Penal Code is three years. As the case has not yet been brought to the court, bail can be applied for at the relevant police station and through the township police head,” said the lawyer. “He is a disabled person now and was made disabled by their torture. It is too inhuman to prosecute him after making him disabled,” said the elder brother of Ko Liang Phyo Aung. The regime has detained at least 15 physically or mentally disabled persons across the country, according to rights groups. As of June 10, at least 860 people have been killed by the junta since their Feb. 1 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. More than 4,800 people remain in detention..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: The Americans locked up in Myanmar's notorious Insein prison
Description: "It was supposed to be an exciting trip home to surprise his parents in the United States, his family said. But on May 24, before he boarded the plane at Yangon International Airport, in Myanmar's biggest city, Danny Fenster, 37, was stopped by security forces and inexplicably taken into custody. Four months earlier, Myanmar's military had seized power in a coup and embarked on a bloody crackdown against protesters, journalists, striking workers, activists and others opposed to the new ruling junta. Fenster, a US citizen from Detroit, Michigan, was working in Yangon as managing editor of independent news outlet Frontier Myanmar, driving the highly regarded news site's coverage of the fallout from the coup, despite the junta targeting media houses and journalists. It remains unclear why Fenster was detained at the airport and it is unknown whether he has been charged with a crime. He has not had any contact with his parents, lawyers or officials at the US embassy in Yangon, who have tried to visit him, a state department official told CNN Business. Frontier Myanmar said they understand he is being held in Insein Prison, Myanmar's infamous clock-shaped penitentiary north of Yangon known for holding political prisoners and having a decades-old reputation for mistreatment and brutal conditions. Since the military seized power on February 1, more than 5,900 people have been detained by the junta's security forces, and a majority remain in detention, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). Of those, at least 87 are journalists, with 51 still in detention, Reporting ASEAN documented. Life in Gen. Min Aung Hlaing's post-coup Myanmar has become near impossible for media workers, with many forced into exile abroad or fleeing to rebel-controlled areas in the jungles as they expose the junta's crimes. Those who remain in the cities have gone into hiding and swap safe houses every few days to avoid arrest. Despite the dangerous conditions, many of Myanmar's journalists continue to deliver vital information to the public and the rest of the world. Not all manage to evade the authorities. Most recently, journalist Aung Kyaw with the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and Zaw Zaw, a freelance journalist with outlet Mizzima News, were sentenced to two years in prison for spreading misinformation. Those who escape the country are not guaranteed safety. Three DVB reporters and two activists were arrested last month in Thailand for illegal entry and faced deportation. They were recently granted asylum in an unnamed third safe country, DVB said. Fenster's family does not know why he was detained, though his father Buddy Fenster told CNN Business his son had "voiced concern" for journalists before his arrest. "All the reporters, all the journalists are leaving this country," Buddy Fenster said his son told him. "I got a feeling he thought it may be time to start heading home." Fenster isn't the only foreign journalist to be locked up, nor the only US citizen. Nathan Maung, a US citizen and co-founder and editor​-in-chief of the online news site Kamayut Media, was detained on March 9 alongside co-founder and producer Hanthar Nyein, and remains in the notorious penitentiary. Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi was detained in April and charged with spreading false news. He was held in Insein Prison before being sent back to Tokyo in May. Polish reporter Robert Bociaga was detained in March and released without charge weeks later. The junta's arrest of journalists — and refusal to release information about many of their cases — demonstrates the level of impunity and lawlessness Myanmar's military operates under as it seeks to assert control over the country. What happened to Nathan Maung Nathan Maung's Kamayut Media covered the junta's arrest and killing of peaceful protesters, as well as the rise of the civil disobedience movement against the coup. Seven military trucks of soldiers stormed the outlet's office on March 9, blocking entrances to the street as they arrested the two journalists, eyewitnesses said. Like many media workers recently, they were charged with crimes under section 505a of Myanmar's penal code — a law amended by the military that makes it a crime punishable by up to three years in prison to publish or circulate comments that "cause fear," spread "false news" or incite government employees. According to Human Rights Watch, the changes to the law were "clearly designed to penalize those encouraging members of the civil service of the security services to join the Civil Disobedience Movement." Two sources close to the pair and familiar with their treatment said Nathan Maung and Hanthar Nyein were subjected to torture during a two-week stint in an interrogation center before they were transferred to prison. Detainees have detailed brutal acts of violence and torture by security forces in these type of military-run facilities. The two sources said the pair were kept in adjoining rooms so they could hear each other scream during interrogations. They alleged the two journalists were beaten, denied food and water for days, and blindfolded so they couldn't tell the difference between night and day. After five days, they were forced to kneel on blocks of ice until they had melted, the sources said. Myanmar national Hanthar Nyein was forced to hold ice on his arm — if he moved, he was hit with a pole or the back of a gun, the sources said The sources with information on their treatment spoke to CNN Business on the condition of anonymity, due to their fear of retaliation. CNN Business reached out to Myanmar's military for comment but has not received a response. The US State Department said in a statement it was "deeply concerned over the detentions of US citizens Daniel Fenster and Nathan Maung." "We have pressed the military regime to release them both immediately and will continue to do so until they are allowed to return home safely to their families." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday the department has access to Nathan Maung but not Fenster. "That's a violation, among other things, of the Vienna Convention. We are pressing this in every way that we can," Blinken said. Inside Insein Both Nathan Maung and Hanthar Nyein thought they would die in the interrogation center, the sources said. But they survived, and were transferred to Myanmar's main prison, Insein. Built more than 130 years ago during the British colonial era, Insein Prison became notorious — and feared — for its overcrowded and inhumane conditions, mental and physical torture, and terrible sanitation, food and healthcare, particularly under military rule. Following uprisings in 1988 and 2007, Insein became packed with thousands of political prisoners including prominent democracy activists and journalists. Ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi spent time there in 2003 and 2009. Bo Kyi, joint secretary and and co-founder of the AAPP, served two sentences in Insein following the 1988 uprising and said conditions there were "like hell." "We were not allowed to read or write. They wanted to destroy our intellect. We did not receive proper medicine, no treatment for injuries," he said. During his second stint there in 1996, he said he was beaten every day for two weeks. "Many people died at Insein," he said. After leaving Insein, Bo Kyi fled to neighboring Thailand and now advocates for current and former political prisoners and their families, through the AAPP. Conditions at Insein improved under Suu Kyi's government, he said, with inmates able to access to reading materials and education, and the building of a new family visitor center. But political prisoners were still incarcerated there, and the prison remained overcrowded, with inadequate medical treatment, he said. Inmates are not treated "with human dignity," Bo Kyi said. With the military back in charge, conditions for inmates have worsened, Bo Kyi said. On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said the rights of women were being violated in Insein due to a lack of toilets and no menstrual hygiene supplies. Trials and hearings are conducted, not in civilian courts, but military-run courts held inside the prison walls. Inmates have limited contact with the outside world, including their families. "Lawyers are struggling to even get access and when they do they are harassed," he said. "Family members have had to go into hiding." Sometimes it's hard to even verify who is being held at the prison. "There is great concern for the people who are believed to be in Insein but might be in unknown locations. They could be brutally tortured or already killed. If we can't verify where they are, no one can monitor their condition," Bo Kyi said. Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi, who was detained in Insein in April, told CNN the political prisoners are kept separate from other inmates. Some are kept in a building with 14 cells and 11 prisoners — as he was with Nathan Maung and later Hanthar Nyein. There the isolated cells are 4 meters long by 2.5 meters wide. Others are held in one room with more than 100 people packed in together. "There is a very small place to sleep, and some describe that they can not move," he said. Kitazumi said everyone was desperate for news from the outside, from the embassy or lawyers, so they would share bits of information they picked up such as the result of the ASEAN meeting on Myanmar. Kitazumi said Nathan Maung would keep checking he could move a finger on his left hand after guards slammed his handcuffed wrists against a table, he said. "I did not have experience of torture myself," Kitazumi said. "A lot of political prisoners have experience of torture, from 24 to 48 hours of no sleep." Kitazumi described Nathan Maung as a "cheerful person" who "had a lot of knowledge about the history of Myanmar" and was a "film director who talked about his favorite movies," he said. Conditions in the cells were stifling. April and May are among the hottest months in Myanmar and the brick cells had little ventilation, let alone air conditioning. "It was very hot during the daytime outside and in the cell. I remember Nathan Maung was always spraying water on the ground to try and cool down the cell," he said. "Our building is made from brick and what happened in the prison, the brick keeps the heat even at night, so it was very hot." He described a chaotic court process in the prison, with overworked judges hearing case after case of those detained by the military. Embassy officials were not allowed to attend court; neither were members of the public, he said. Kitazumi spoke of the guilt of being a foreigner and lucky enough to leave prison, but having to leave others behind. It was a feeling shared by Nathan Maung, he said. "Of course they want to be released. However, he said that he would feel guilty to be released early for his US citizenship. He is worried about Hanthar and the other political prisoners," he said. A letter to the outside Kay Zon Nway, 28, is a journalist for local media outlet Myanmar Now, who has been held in Insein since February 27. A family member told CNN Business they are concerned about her well-being in prison and said they have not been able to meet nor speak with her since her detention more than three months ago. Her family members have only snatched glimpses of her when she appeared for a court hearing held via video link. Their only communication is through letters they are allowed to send to each other just once a month. The family member, who ​spoke on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, is increasingly concerned that Kay Zon Nway's mental health is deteriorating due to the harsh conditions inside the prison. "Her nervous system is weak and her toes and fingers are stiff. She is suffering mental health issues because she was put in isolation," they said, adding that she also has stomach problems due to the food. Kay Zon Nway, who is Muslim, was put in isolation when she started fasting for Ramadan — the guards believed she was on a hunger strike, the family member said. Myanmar Now reported that her lawyer told her family that prison officials later said she had been isolated in error, saying they had mistaken her for someone else. "She can go crazy if this condition continues. They pressured her a lot inside the prison, they were telling her that people on hunger strike will only be released when they die," the family member said. It has become increasingly difficult to send supplies to the prison, the family member said. Prisoners given a meal a day, they said, but even with the food her family sends, it's not enough. "They can get hot water in the prison to make coffee or instant noodles. We used to send her food daily but the prison changed the rule and we could only send her food once in 15 days. Only dried snacks last for two weeks; not the normal food, as they don't have a freezer or microwave to warm up the food," the family member said. In a letter sent on March 5 to her family and seen by CNN Business, Kay Zon Nway writes about her upcoming hearings and gives an insight into prison life. She asks her relatives to send things from the outside, like shampoo, face wash, Tiger Balm, a bed sheet, a new towel, and Michelle Obama's autobiography. She said she has difficulty eating the prison food and asks her relatives for fresh fruit and home cooked meals. It's clear from the letter Kay Zon Nway is concerned for her family, telling her relatives to use her money for home expenses and for trips to see her when they can. She urgently wants to be updated on her court cases and reassures her family they will see each other soon. Like all relatives of loved ones locked up since the coup, they just want them to come home. "I only want her to come back alive," the family member said. It's a feeling Danny Fenster's parents share. "It's a total nightmare; it's a total feeling of no control. It's heart-wrenching," his mother Rose Fenster recently said on CNN's "Reliable Sources" in late May. It has been more than two weeks since Fenster's detention and there still has been no word on his whereabouts or condition. His parents have started a petition to keep pressure on the Biden administration and US State Department to get their son back to the United States..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 10 June, (860) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Meiktila Township in Mandalay Region and Yinmabin Township in Sagaing Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 10 June, a total of (4804) people are currently under detention; of them (173) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of 9 June, a teacher involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and who participated in the Amarapura Strike, was arrested in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region by the terrorist junta. Two poets, Maung Yu Paing and Nayi Myeik (a.k.a Lwin Aung, the lawyer), activist Tin Ko Ko Oo, NLD Township executive member Soe Linn, who were living in Myeik Township, Tanintharyi Region were charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code and sentenced to two years imprisonment on on 9 June, apart from Maung Yu Paing sentenced on 8 June. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.18 MB 4.4 MB 971.57 KB
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Title: Torture to Death in Detention
Description: "The military group has carried out a series of daily arrests on elected leaders and civilians opposing the military coup since February 1, 2021. As a result of these arbitrary arrests and torture, people are being disabled and tortured to death. Successive dictatorships have pursued policies to control the population with fear and torture as one of those policies. Interrogation centers during the military regime were notorious for torture. After the 1988 uprising, thousands of civilians against them were arrested and imprisoned. AAPP collected data on 127 deaths during the State Law and Order Resurrection Council (SLORC) and State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) era, torturing inside interrogation camps, prisons, police custody, and through lack of access to medical treatment. Since February 1, the junta has brutally arrested and tortured, continuing to use torture as policy. The junta is beating, crashing with cars, and shooting. Many anti-coup activists have been arrested with serious injuries. Some of those cannot even be recognized because of torture and photos shown on junta-controlled media display people with injuries. Some detainees who were subjected to severe torture resulting in significant mental illness, being disabled and death. Sometimes, days after arrest, families are informed to take the dead bodies. Some others are not even recovering the bodies but instead just informed they are dead. In Burma since the coup, people are tortured to death for the specific purpose of inducing a climate of fear. This is a crime against humanity, and fundamentally the activity of a foreign terrorist organization. According to AAPP documentation, 5965 have been arrested since the coup. Of these, 4,804 remain in prison, interrogation centers, and under house arrest. At least 860 people have been killed. Of these, 22 have been killed from torture during detention. 3 of these tortured to death, dead bodies were not returned to their family. The number of tortured to death is likely to be higher than confirmed. Of those 22 tortured to death, 13 were killed within 24 hours of arrest and 4 were killed within 2 days, another 4 were killed within a week, and 1 victim was killed within two weeks. Almost all the victims were found with wounds consistent with torture, it can be seen all over the bodies. However, the junta reports they died from illness or other cause. U Aye Ko, 40-year old, was shot by the junta troops while night guarding in front of Ta Tar Oo Monastery, Mandalay on March 27. They dragged him onto a burning car tire. An eyewitness said that Aye Ko was not dead and could still walk when he was burnt alive. U Kyaw Kyaw (a.k.a. Agga Moe Nyo) 39-year-old, was arrested on March 15. On March 30 he was announced dead, his family were not allowed to return and bury his body. Daw Khin Marlar Win (a.k.a. Myo Myo Lwin) 39-year-old, was detained on March 19 in the Pakokku crackdown. She begged on her knees not to be arrested, she was forcibly arrested. The family was informed to take the dead body the next morning. U Zaw Myat Linn, 46-year-old, was arrested in Shwepyithar Township where he lived. He was killed that night. According to eyewitnesses, his whole head was bruised, and parts of his mouth and body had disintegrated. The prohibition of torture, and especially to death, is customary and observed across national military manuals. Torture is prohibited in Burma’s domestic law as well, “bodily pain” and “grievous hurt” are outlawed under the Articles 319 and 320 of Burma’s Penal Code. Articles 330 and 331 specifically forbid a public servant to commit “hurt” and “grievous hurt” during interrogations. According to Article 166, any public servant disobeying this law and intentionally harming any person shall be punished to one year imprisonment, a fine or both. When a public servant commits torture to death, it is a crime of murder. The Prisoner Act 49 provisions includes situations concerning the different use of punishment, and the restriction of a prison authority to significantly harm detainees. According to the international human rights law torture is prohibited under any circumstances: Article 3 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 7 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (commonly known as the United Nations Convention against Torture (UNCAT) Burma is one of the handful countries to refuse to sign the UN Convention against Torture. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) strongly condemns such brutal torture and killings. At the same time, we call on the international community to take immediate and effective action in preventing the recurrence of torture. In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf
Size: 125.73 KB 119.72 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 9 June, (858) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Aunglan Township in Magway Region died today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 9 June, a total of (4782) people are currently under detention; of them (163) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. In the morning of 9 June, Tin Zaw Oo died while he was receiving the medical treatment at the hospital. He got injured by gunshot during a protest at Aunglan Town in Magway Region in March. On the night of 8 June, Myint Than, a philanthropic leader from Nawnghkio Township in Shan State, was arrested after his home was searched by so-called police and soldiers. A lawsuit was filed against him under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. On 7 June, Than Oo, headmaster of B.E.H.S (1) of Myitkyina of Kachin State, was arrested by the terrorist junta. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.19 MB 4.31 MB 988.32 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 8 June, (857) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 8 June, a total of (4704) people are currently under detention; of them (162) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On June 7, doctor Aung Moe Nyo, Magway Region Chief Minister, was sentenced to two years imprisonment under 505(b) of the Penal Code. Marn Zar Myay Mon, a protest leader of Chaung-U Township in Sagaing Region, whom a Penal Code Section 505(a) warrant was issued, was shot and arrested by terrorist junta troops in the early morning of 8 June in the village where he was evading arrest. On 7 June, Myo Zaw, a former village administrator living in Nga Min Village of Taungdwingyi Township of Magway Region, was arrested by the terrorist police and military forces. In the early morning of 6 June, Kyaw Soe, elected MP for Thingangyun Township of Yangon Region, was arrested by junta troops. Moreover, on the night of 6 June, Tin Myint a.k.a Maw Si, Taunggyi Township Executive Committee Member of NLD, living in Ayetharyar Town, Shan State, was beaten and arrested at his home by junta troops. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.18 MB 4.22 MB 995.12 KB
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Title: He Used His Poetry To Speak Out Against Myanmar's Coup. It May Have Cost Him His Life
Description: "Khet Thi made cakes, ice cream and poetry. The latter may have cost him his life. He died in police custody in Myanmar early last month. The authorities say the cause was heart failure. His widow says he was beaten to death. A civil engineer by training, the 43-year-old quit his civil service job in the central Myanmar town of Shwebo in 2012 and opened a cake and ice cream shop to support his poetry. "Before the coup, he wrote poems about love, about life," says his friend Nyein Chan, another poet. "But after, all he wrote about was the revolution." The revolution is what Nyein Chan calls the resistance to Feb. 1 coup that abruptly ended Myanmar's decade-long experiment with civilian rule. Four months later, that resistance continues to grow. So does the list of civilians killed by security forces. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma, an advocacy group, puts the figure at more than 850 — including Khet Thi. Well known in the restive Sagaing region, he wrote perhaps his most famous poem after security forces killed a close friend — another poet — with a bullet to the head in March. "Khet Thi went to K Za Win's funeral and read his poem at the service," Nyein Chan says. "A lot of people posted the poem on social media afterwards. It went, 'They shoot in the head, but they don't know the revolution is in the heart.' " Nyein Chan says his friend's spirit and commitment to the resistance was strong. "For this revolution, I have decided to sacrifice my life," he recalls Khet Thi saying. "Those words showed us his commitment. Now, I feel sad when I recall what he said." Khet Thi's poetry and his highly visible social media presence may have made him a tempting target for a junta prone to hunting, jailing and killing artists and activists. His widow, Chaw Su, recalls the terrible night they came for him. "Around 10 p.m., soldiers and police surrounded the house, more than 100 of them," she says. "He attempted to escape, but they caught him. They took him, me and my brother-in-law to a police station and accused us of making bombs. Then we were separated for interrogation." Eleven hours later, police told her Khet Thi was in a hospital some 60 miles away, in Monywa. "If Khet Thi died, it depends on his karma," she says they told her. She learned her husband was dead after she reached the hospital. She had to beg them to release the body at the hospital, she says. "In the morning, I tried to comb his long hair and found his head was badly injured," she says, her voice cracking. "His ribs were badly damaged and his nose was broken, too. They said he died because of heart disease. But they just beat his head in." When she got her husband's body back, Chaw Su says, there was a long incision in his chest that had been crudely stitched back together. "There is no justice," she declares. "They arrest and kill people like animals, like a cow, or a buffalo. But at least I got his body back. Other families don't even know if their loved ones are still alive or not." Bo Kyi, secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, says at least 20 Myanmar families have had similar experiences. "Actually, they send back that body in order to create a climate of fear," he says. "They want people to know if you are really against them, you will be tortured to death." It's a tactic that's been honed by Myanmar's military during decades of fighting with ethnic minority militias, and more recently, in the majority heartland. Citizen journalists have posted grim photographs and videos on social media of soldiers or police dragging bodies into vehicles. Nick Cheesman, a fellow at the Australian National University, calls it "state terror and torture." "The manner in which the bodies are being used is part of a kind of spectacular violence," Cheesman says. "Spectacular violence which is characteristic of the way that state terror works in Myanmar under the military dictatorship." State terror, Cheesman writes, wears people down. The targets it does not eliminate, it exhausts. That includes Khet Thi's widow. "They're watching me," Chaw Su says. "At night, after curfew, they're here around my house. I'm scared. Not just me, but my family members, too." Still, resistance to the coup isn't abating. And Chaw Su's husband remained defiant until the end. He even suggested that poetry might no longer be sufficient. In his final poem, he wrote: I can't shoot a gun. I can only create a beautiful cake. Now my men are being shot. But I can only shoot back with poem. It is now sure only words from the mouth are not enough. We have to choose arms. I will shoot..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: National Public Radio (Washington, D.C.)
Date of publication: 2021-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 7 June, (857) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (8) fallen heroes today. These (8) fallen heroes from Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region, Shwepyitha Township in Yangon Region, Bago Township in Bago Region and Kyonpyaw Township in Ayeyarwady Region were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 7 June, a total of (4677) people are currently under detention; of them (162) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of 6 June, two men were killed after being chased on motorbike and crashed into by a military vehicle in Pyigyidagun Township, Mandalay Region. On the night of 6 June, Chit Ko, NLD treasurer of Bhamo Township, Kachin State, was arrested. In addition to this, yesterday evening, three civilians from Nat Myaung and Nat Chaung Village in Kale Township, Sagaing Region, were beaten and arrested unprovoked. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.18 MB 4.16 MB 987.01 KB
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Title: Press Leaders to Myanmar: Release Jailed American Journalists
Description: "WASHINGTON, D.C., June 2, 2021-The National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute urged the junta in Myanmar to promptly release from prison all journalists jailed there, including at least two Americans. Danny Fenster and Nathan Maung are the American journalists known to be detained in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, which has been wracked by unrest since a February coup. The National Press Club President Lisa Nicole Matthews and NPC Journalism Institute President Angela Greiling Keane issued the following statement: “We call on the government of Myanmar to release all wrongly imprisoned people, including journalists Danny Fenster and Nathan Maung, two Americans who have done nothing wrong. Journalism is not a crime.” Fenster, a native of the Detroit area, is the managing editor of Frontier Magazine in Myanmar. He was detained May 24 at Yangon International Airport just minutes before boarding a flight to Kuala Lumpur to start a planned trip back to the United States to surprise his parents, who had not seen him in three years. Fenster is being held at Yangon prison, a detention facility known for rampant human rights abuses. He has not been charged with any crime and has not been granted access to legal representation. Fenster’s family has since launched a social media campaign for his immediate release: #BringDannyHome. Maung and Myanmar national Hanthar Nyein, co-founders of the Myanmar news website Kamayut Media, were arrested on March 9, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Maung and Hanthar were physically abused during interrogations when they were first detained, CPJ said. Approximately 90 journalists have been arrested since the coup, according to Myanmar’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. More than half of those journalists are still in jail, and an estimated 33 are in hiding, the group says. The jailed journalists are among more than 4,400 people imprisoned since the coup, the association estimates. The association also calculates that more than 820 people have been killed in Myanmar amid the unrest, and some 5,400 others have been arrested. Founded in 1908, The National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world. The National Press Club Journalism Institute, the Club’s non-profit affiliate, promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. Contact: John Donnelly, NPC Press Freedom Team Chairman: [email protected] 202-650-6738..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: The National Press Club (Washington, D.C.)
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 6 June, (849) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Shwe Nyaung Township in Shan State were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 6 June, a total of (4674) people are currently under detention; of them (160) are sentenced. 1936 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, 39 people to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour and 5 persons to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Around 8pm on 5 June, two men were shot dead, and one man was beaten and arrested near the intersection of Shwe Nyaung and Nyaung Shwe in Shan State when junta troops opened fire from their cars at the men riding a motorcycle. Khin Maung Shwe, Sagaing Region’s NLD Shwebo Township Chairman, who was arrested and charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code for alledgely inciting people to participate in the 22222 anti- coup movement, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on 4 June. In the afternoon of 5 June, Kyaw Ohn, village NLD Chairman of Man Ywet Village of Mogaung Township of Kachin State, was arrested at his home by the terrorist troops wearing plainclothes. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.17 MB 4.16 MB 971.8 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 5 June, (847) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Kyaukpadaung Township in Mandalay Region and Monywa Township in Sagaing Region were killed in previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 5 June, a total of (4642) people are currently under detention; of them (158) are sentenced. 1931 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour and 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of 4 June, when Thaw Thaw a.k.a Thaw Zin who is LGBT, and two friends were on the way home riding a motorcycle, Thaw Thaw a.k.a Thaw Zin was shot with three bullets hit in their arm and rib by junta troops deployed at Township Education Office in Kyaukpadaung Town in Mandalay Region, and died from not receiving medical treatment in time. On the night of 3 June, Ka Lar was shot to death when he did not stop his motorcycle for inspection by junta troops in Monywa, Sagaing Region. On 4 June, Khant Zin Ko, who is a member of Monywa University Student Union, was arrested when the junta did not find his father at home at Monywa in Sagaing Region. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.17 MB 4.22 MB 975.94 KB
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Title: Crimes Against Humanity Committed by Myanmar Junta in Last Three Months
Description: "Amid condemnation by the international community, the Myanmar military regime has intensified its violent suppression of anti-regime protests since the Feb. 1 coup, frequently committing crimes against humanity. In the three months from Feb. 1 to April 30, nearly 760 people were killed during crackdowns, raids, arrests, interrogations and random shootings. Those killed include anti-regime protesters, bystanders, pedestrians and residents. More than 3,400 people have been detained, including elected leaders, National League for Democracy members, election commissioners, doctors, journalists, protesters, activists, writers, artists, teachers and civilians. Facing huge daily protests nationwide, the regime has used lethal weapons including live ammunition, hand grenades and heavy explosives to attack peaceful anti-regime protesters, labeling them as “rioters”. During their raids and crackdowns, the military regime’s forces have committed crimes, destroying civilians’ belongings including vehicles, motorbikes and houses, and looting property including motorbikes, phones, money, foods, chickens and pigs. The Irrawaddy has collected 29 photos containing evidence of the junta forces’ brutality, among thousands of such cases committed against civilians.....Feb 10, 2021: Ma Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, a 19-year-old high school student is on life support at a hospital after being shot in the head by police at an anti-regime protest in Naypyitaw on Feb. 10. During the crackdowns, at least four others were injured as police used live bullets. Ma Mya Thwet Thwet Kine, who had been brain dead, was pronounced dead on Feb. 19. Her death was the first protest related death at the hands of the junta’s force in Myanmar. However, the military junta has denied responsibility for her death claiming she died when protesters shot at each other.....Feb 20, 2021: A medic from a charity treats Ko Yarzar Aung who was shot in the leg in a police vehicle before he was taken away on Feb. 20. Ko Yarzar Aung was injured during the crackdown on hundreds of people who appeared in the street to protest government staff taking part in the civil disobedience movement (CDM) at a dock, in a raid by police and military troops in Mandalay on Feb. 20. In the crackdown, a total of six people were killed and nearly 30 people were injured. More than 80 people, including some seriously injured protesters, were arrested. Medics were not allowed to provide proper treatment to the injured arrested during the crackdown. Four days later, Ko Yarzar Aung died at a military hospital without being provided proper treatment, a witness told The Irrawaddy. The military regime announced he died of COVID-19.....Feb 27,2021: A riot police officer in Myanmar intimidates a pregnant woman by pointing at her face with his fist in Yangon’s Myaynigon during a crackdown on anti-regime protesters on Feb. 27. During the crackdowns, the junta’s forces arrested bystanders and intimidated medical teams by pointing at social worker with guns.....March 3, 2021: Ko Min Thura lost is eyesight in a crackdown by the junta’s forces in Yangon on March 3. He was seriously wounded in the eyes by rubber bullets on March 3 when the junta’s forces conducted a crackdown on anti-regime protests in Yangon’s North Oakkalapa Township. He was shot in the face with rubber bullets when he tried to carry the body of one of his friends out of the line of fire. His right cheek and ear are paralyzed and he can open his mouth only slightly due to the injuries. In the crackdown, around eight anti-regime protesters were killed and several injured. Ko Min Thura lost two close friends killed by the junta’s forces during the crackdown.....March 3, 2021: The 19-year-old Kyal Sin during an anti-regime protest in Mandalay (left). She died after being shot in the head (right). Kyal Sin, also known as Angel or by her Chinese name, Deng Jia Xi, was shot in the head during a heavy-handed police crackdown on anti-regime protesters in downtown Mandalay on March 3. Before she left for the protest, she wrote on Facebok that her wish was to donate her organs if something happened to her. One day after her burial, the regime’s solders forcibly exhumed her body and conducted an autopsy. Later, the regime denied responsibility for killing the girl, reasoning that the girl died when protesters shot at each other.....March 6, 2021: The dead body of NLD ward chairman U Khin Maung Latt, who was tortured to death by the military regime’s forces. During a house raid, the 58-year-old Muslim, a National League for Democracy (NLD) ward chairman, was violently beaten and kicked before being taken from his home at Yangon’s Pabedan Township on the night of March 6. He was tortured to death by the regime’s forces, hours after he was arrested. Since the Feb. 1 coup, three NLD members were tortured to death by the military regime......March 14, 2021: A mortuary with dead bodies of anti-regime protesters in Yangon’s Hlaing Tharyar Township. Around 80 civilians were killed across the country when the military regime’s forces conducted crackdowns on anti-regime protesters on March 14. Around 50 protesters were killed and several dozen were injured in Yangon’s Hlaing Tharyar Township alone when the regime’s forces opened fire on not only protesters but also bystanders and pedestrians.....March 14, 2021: Two police drag a medical student wounded by live bullets along on the street during deadly crackdowns on anti-regime protests in Yangon’s Tamwe Township on March 14. The 18-year-old, Khant Nyar Hein, a first-year medical student, was shot on the street by the regime’s troops in Tamwe while he was taking part in a protest. Another protester tried to save him, but the police dragged his body away. The protester who attempted to save him was arrested. The body of the teenager was returned to the family later. The boy was shot three times.....March 19, 2021: The mirror widow of a Yangon private hospital is damaged by a gunshot by the junta’s forces. The regimes’ soldiers and police fired shots at SSC Hospital’s women’s center in Yangon on the evening of March 19. No casualties were reported at the center, which provides maternity and newborn care. Pregnant women and women who had just delivered babies were present on two floors the hospital, which were hit by the gunfire. After the gunfire, those in the hospital laid low. At least four other private hospitals were shot at and raided by the junta’s forces in Yangon.....March 19, 2021: Soldiers and police torture an arrested civilian during a crackdown on anti-regime protesters in Yangon Region’s North Oakkalapa Township on March 19. Some said police rode on his shoulders and strangled the man neck with a rope until he was unconscious.....March 19, 2021: The inhumane treatment of citizens by the military regime’s forces was caught in this video screenshot showing officers forcing a man to crawl along a street in Tamwe Township, Yangon Region on March 19. The man, who was being used as forced labor to carry sandbags, was forced to crawl after he could not carry any more. Many residents were also used as forced labor to remove the sandbags, which are used as roadblocks by anti-regime protesters to protect themselves against the crackdowns of the junta’s forces.....March 20, 2021: A funeral is held secretly for 21-year-old Ko Chan Thar Htwe by his family in Mandalay. Neither protesting nor gathering in the street, Mandalay resident Ko Chan Thar Htwe was deliberately shot in the head by the junta forces from long range while he was in front of his house in Chanmyathazi Township in the morning on March 21. On that afternoon, family urgently held a funeral for the victim secretly after changing two locations as the troops searched for them in the ward. On the next day, the whole family fled their home as the junta’s troops searched for them in the ward again, according to a family member..... March 21, 2021: The funeral is held for 16-year-old teashop waiter Zaw Myo Htet, who was shot dead by the junta’s forces in Mandalay during a night raid on March 21. The high school student was shot dead on the night of March 21 by the junta’s forces when he was looking around outside a tea shop where he worked in Chanayethazan Township of Mandalay region. The native of Bago Region came to work as a waiter at the tea shop just two days before his death. During the shooting, seven other residents were also killed. The next day, security forces, claiming they needed to conduct an autopsy, interrupted the funeral of the boy and forcibly took the dead body.....March 23, 2021: The dead body of Ma Khin Myo Chit, who was shot dead in her father’s arms during a house raid in Mandalay. The 6-year-old Muslim girl was shot to death at close-range during a house raid at Aung Pine Lae in Chanmyathazi Township of Mandalay. The frightened girl was slain while being hugged by her father. During the raid, a 19-old-man, the girl’s brother, was also beaten and taken away by the security forces. The family fled their house and held a funeral for the girl secretly since the junta’s forces came to seize the dead body of the girl that night. The military regime’s forces conducted a series of raids in several wards in Chanmyathazi including Aung Pin Lae, Aung Tharyar and Mya Yi Nandar over three days after a confrontation between them and peaceful anti-regime protesters on March 21. In the raids, at least 20 people were killed and about a hundred were injured.....March 26, 2021: Two people are arrested while their hands are tied behind their backs during a crackdown against an anti-regime protest in Tanintharyi Region’s Myeik Township on March 26. The junta’s forces also used two seized ambulances from which to shoot at protesters and bystanders in the town. During the deadly crackdown, four people were killed and at least two dozen were injured. Several protesters were arrested.....March 27, 2021: Soldiers drag away an anti-regime protester hit by bullets after a deadly crackdown against protesters in Yangon’s Dagon Seikkan Township on March 27. At least two civilians were seriously injured as large numbers of junta forces dispersed anti-regime protesters in the Yuzana Garden Housing Complex in the township in the morning on March 27 by using live ammunition and stun grenades.....March 27, 2021: A video screenshot shows military troops in vehicles open fire on three boys on motorbikes passing by near them in Tanintharyi Region’s capital Dawei on March 30. One of the three youths on the bike, 17-year-old Kyaw Min Latt, was shot and dragged away by the troops. He was pronounced dead on March 30 by the military hospital, saying the teenager died of a brain injury due to falling from the motorbike.....March 27, 2021: The remains of neighborhood watch member U Aye Ko, who was burned alive by the regime’s troops in Mandalay’s Aungmyethazan Township on March 27. During soldiers’ night raid on Mintae Ekin ward, U Aye Ko, 40, was left behind after being shot. He was dragged away and set on fire at a roadblock by the junta’s forces, witnesses told the media. Residents said they were unable to rescue the volunteer as soldiers were deploying in the area, threatening to shoot anyone who appeared at the windows of houses. On that day, the Myanmar military regime marked its Armed Forces Day by slaughtering around 110 people across the country, making it the bloodiest single day since the Feb. 1 coup.....March 28, 2021: A video screenshot shows two junta forces in partial uniforms using a motorcycle to shoot anti-regime protesters in Myinchan Twonship, Mandalay Region on March 28. A young female anti-regime protester and a male protester were shot dead when the junta’s forces using civilian vehicles and motorcycles randomly opened fire on protesters and residents in Myinchan in the morning on March 28. In the afternoon, the junta’s forces also opened fire on a vehicle carrying children and women passing through the town. In the shooting, a man in the vehicle died after being hit with a live bullet.....March 28, 2021: A man carries the body of a nursing student who was shot dead while assisting the injured during shooting by police and soldiers against anti-regime protests in Sagaing Region’s Monywa on March 28. The 20-year-old nursing student Ma Thinzar Hein was shot dead as she was assisting the injured when the junta’s forces opened fire on anti-regime protesters. In the shooting by junta forces, at least five people were killed.....April 4, 2021: The 19-year-old fell to the ground after being shot while returning home with her husband on a motorbike in Mandalay at night on April 4. The girl died after suffering a head injury, presumably after falling off the bike. Her husband managed to reach medics with his serious injury after being hit in the abdomen by a live bullet fired by junta forces. The rescue workers took 20 minutes to reach her and to drive her home as the team had to hide from the junta’s forces.....April 4, 2021: Photos of Ko Aung Paing Htwe, who was tortured to death at the hands of junta forces. Ko Aung Paing Htwe, 30, was arrested by junta forces while he was extinguishing a fire at a ward administration office in Shan State’s capital, Taunggyi on April 4. His dead body was returned by the military two days later, saying he died of a brain hemorrhage and lung injuries caused by a crash with a fire engine. However, signs of severe torture were obvious on his body, said fellow ward residents. His head was cracked open, his face was covered in bruises, one of his ears had almost been cut off, and there was a knife wound in his back. Wounds in his chest had been stitched back together.....April 9, 2021: The funeral of Ko Thiha, who was killed by the junta’s forces in Bago on April 9 (left). Explosives used by junta’s forces remain unexploded in the attack (right). The social worker was among more than 80 people who were killed by the regime’s troops in a massacre in Bago on April 9. The regime’s forces used automatic weapons and many rifle grenades in attacking the defense team members and night watchman guarding the protest assembly areas during their deadly crackdown on four anti-regime stronghold wards in Bago.....April 17, 2021: Police carry two bodies of protesters hit by bullet in a cart after a deadly crackdown on anti-regime protesters in Mogok, Mandalay Region on April 17. Two were killed and two others were injured in Mogok, a ruby town in Mandalay Region, when the military cracked down on anti-regime protesters. In a video recorded by a local, a soldier is heard issuing the command “I want five people (to be arrested) and I want them dead”.....April 20, 2021: Dead bodies of villagers who were killed during shootouts with the regime’s forces in Yinmabin Township of Sagaing Region on April 20. Hundreds of villagers from Kapaing, Thigone and Thityarpin villages conducted a defensive action against hundreds of military troops approaching the villages for a raid. In the shootouts, the military troops used a drone to search the locations of villagers and used heavy explosives in attacking the villagers taking up homemade percussion lock firearms and slingshots. In the fight, more than 10 villagers were killed and several dozen detained. Troops were based in Kapaing after raiding the village. A villager said the troops looted all food, chickens, pigs, motorcycles and money from the village. They even stole women’s clothing.....April 24, 2021: Portraits of Ma Khin Nyein Thu who was sexually assaulted and tortured in detention. After being accused of involvement in a series of bombing, the detainee, Ma Khin Nyein Thu, 31, was sexually assaulted and tortured by junta forces at an interrogation center in Yangon, a former cellmate released from the junta’s interrogation center revealed on social media and in regular media. She had been tortured and beaten since being arrested by the junta’s forces along with five other people at a house in Yankin Township on April 17. After learning that her boyfriend is a foreigner, officers at the police station in Yakin forced Ma Khin Nyein Thu to open her legs, kicked her in the genitals and beat her on the genitals with a stick. She is still detained.....April 25, 2021: A photo shows regime forces forcing two women to dance for banging pots and pans in Mayangone Township of Yangon on the night of April 25. Myanmar regime forces dragged around 10 residents from their home in Thamine ward in Mayangone Township for banging pots and pans as a night-time anti-regime protest. The junta’s forces forced them to continue to hit their pots and made two women in nightwear dance for them for two hours in the street. Some male civilians were also beaten.....April 26, 2021: The dead body of a street vendor who was killed by the random shooting of junta forces in Mandalay on the evening on April 26. Ko Zaw Shein, 37, was shot dead by the junta’s forces while he appeared on the road near his shop in Sein Pann Ward in Mandalay Region’s Mahar Aung Myay Township at around 7 pm on April 26. In Mandalay, the junta’s forces frequently open fire on pedestrians and bystanders.....April 27, 2021: The dead body of a villager who died after being shot in the abdomen during shooting by the junta’s forces in Kayah State’s Demoso Township on April 27. During the raid to remove roadblocks in Six Mile Village in Demoso, military regime forces opened fire on bystanders and villagers opposing them...."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 4 June, (845) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 4 June, a total of (4565) people are currently under detention; of them (156) are sentenced. 1931 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour and 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. By 1am on 4 June, Khun Aung Sann was beaten and arrested at his home at Taunggyi Town in Shan State by the junta. The youth’s phone was confiscated and people downstairs in his home were also assaulted. On the 3 June afternoon, Lwin Ko Chit a.k.a Phoe Chit, who is a leader of Sanay Charity Group, Bhamo Town in Kachin State, was arrested by junta troops. Ni Ni Nyunt, headmistress of B.E.M.S (3) of Taungdwingyi Town in Magway Region, was charged under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code in the morning of 3 June for her involvement in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). She was arrested in March. Thet Tun Aung a.k.a Maung Htoo San, a professional photographer, who was charged under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on 3 June. He was arrested in April after being accused of joining armed training in an ethnic area. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
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Title: Diary of a Myanmar medic: 'I learned to treat gunshot wounds on YouTube'
Description: "A doctor who provides treatment to protesters injured by the military describes the daily violence and trauma of post-coup Myanmar Rebecca Ratcliffe A medic in Myanmar, as told to Rebecca Ratcliffe Fri 26 Mar 2021 11.40 EDT A doctor who provides treatment to protesters wounded by the army and police has described a week in the turmoil of the post-coup Myanmar. When the military coup happened, I joined a group of medics providing treatment to protesters. Every day is a risky day for us. I may be captured, I may be shot dead. We don’t have bullet-proof vests. We have only a waistcoat and a stethoscope. Our ambulance has been shot at twice before; we just had to get out and run. If we weren’t providing medical cover, there would be nowhere for people to get proper care. Many doctors and nurses are refusing to work in the government hospitals, because they are protesting against the junta. The only other place for the wounded is the military hospital. I am doing this for my country’s people, and because I want my children to have a bright future.....Saturday: Every morning I say a prayer. I write my blood group, my emergency contact number, my weight and other credentials on my forearm. I tell my wife: if I don’t come back, you must live yourself and take care of the children. My wife is also very active in resisting the military coup. She tells me: do what you have to do, and if you die, I will be proud of you. Today there was a protest by students. The military tried to capture them, but they ran away and hid in the local people’s houses. Residents refused to hand them over, so the military started shooting at them. We waited in hiding around the local houses, trying to get the students home safely. We managed to get about 50 students out. It took half a day. Some of them were very afraid to move. They were so young, only 17 or 18. The students had just bruises, but residents were shot for protecting them. One of the victims, who I cared for, had been shot in the back, near the kidney area. We couldn’t go into his house because all the lanes were blocked off by the military. The other residents managed to carry him to us. They moved him slowly from one house to another house. Eventually he reached our ambulance. At this point, he was barely breathing. There was a lot of blood. We tried to resuscitate but we were not successful. Four people were killed in the area.....Sunday: My team heard from our network that there had been another shooting in a nearby downtown area. There was no protest at the time, but the military was shooting while patrolling the streets. Four people were injured, including a 13-year-old boy. A woman was shot dead. Her body was lying on the road, but we had to wait nearly two hours to treat her because the military was spraying bullets nearby. The fatal wound was on the back of her head. There are some patients we see, lying down on the street, who we cannot reach. The military takes them. They may die, they may not be treated. I think the official death toll is an underestimate. I think I have almost got PTSD. I laugh sometimes, I cry sometimes, I feel depressed sometimes. Sometimes I cannot sleep well. I had not treated gunshot wounds before the coup. I learned from watching YouTube and from reading my medical and surgical books.....Monday: Usually, we connect with our peer-to-peer network on apps, but now the junta has cut everyone’s mobile data. Three people were killed locally today. One of the victims, whose death I certified, was just 20. The military was taking down barricades that residents had put up to protect their neighbourhoods, and the people, who were afraid, were making new barricades further down the road. The military started shooting at them. We treated the patients in nearby homes. There was a gunshot wound to the shoulder, buttocks, as well as rubber bullet wounds, and one patient had cuts to the thigh. We stitched them up to control the bleeding, but without local anaesthesia. We don’t have lots of equipment with us, only our backpacks. We made an IV drip for them, and for the pain relief we gave only diclofenac (Voltaren). We need morphine sometimes but it is a controlled drug so we cannot get it easily. We had to move locations three times as we treated the patients, because the military was coming. It’s like a war. The people living in the houses are very passionate towards us. As medical cover, we are the only help they can find. If the patient’s condition is bad and there’s not much we can do, then they have to be moved to the surgeon, who performs operations in a safe place.....Tuesday: Today was quiet. Patients who were stitched yesterday were given wound dressings. We also went and gave money to the victims’ families. We give to wounded patients who have had to have limbs amputated as well. They are just poor people. Sometimes they have a wife and kids. In one case, a man who was killed had a wife who was three months pregnant. At night time we could not sleep very well because the military was going around patrolling, shooting, and setting off stun grenades. I no longer sleep at my home. I stay in a different place every night. I’ve done this for a month. I am afraid of being arrested in night raids. When the military comes, we turn the lights off in the house, and turn on the street lights, so that we can see what they are doing outside.....Wednesday: Mobile data is still down. We trained other volunteers who are not medics, teaching them how to check patients, how to do the tourniquet, how to stop the bleeding. I am afraid for tomorrow; often one or two days of quiet are followed by violence.....Thursday: The military came again tonight, patrolling the area where I am staying and yelling at us not to go outside. The people on my street were OK, but in another nearby area one man was shot dead. He was a resident who had volunteered to stay out on night patrol, to alert others in case the military approached. My daughter is afraid of the loud bangs and cursing. She asks me: why don’t the police come [to stop the shootings]? She has seen, in the movies, how the police are the good guys who take the bad guys out. It is a very hard question for me to answer. How can I tell her that those who are shooting the people are police and soldiers? Whenever I go outside, she asks me when I will come back. She tells me: daddy, don’t go out they will shoot you. It is traumatic for children. Due to Covid, the schools have already been closed for around one and a half years. My daughter asks me when she can go out on a trip, but it is too dangerous for children to go outside. Luckily we have wifi and so she can watch YouTube. I logged out of my Facebook a few days ago, so that I can concentrate on my work. There is too much rumour, fake news, psychological warfare by the junta, and graphic imagery on social media. There are live videos of people being slaughtered or captured and beaten. It’s hard to cope with that stimulus all the time. Sometimes, if I can’t sleep at night, I take antidepressants. After the revolution is successful, I want to apply to open a clinic specialising in trauma and stress. We need it a lot. We feel insecure all the time. We feel the danger and violence. We are fearful all the time..."
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Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Hostages under the military coup
Description: "Hostages under the military coup Date : 4 June 2021 Since 1 February 2021, when the junta arrested Burma’s elected state leaders and unlawfully seized power, junta forces have carried out relentless and dailyarbitrary arrests. The junta uses brutal force to arrest these civilians, on thestreet, in their homes, and even in hospitals receiving medical treatment. The junta employs brutality to arrest those not easily detained, like ramming with cars. When wanted individuals aren’t found, family members are taken hostage. This junta takes whoever they can find, including children, employing worsening methods to apprehend the detainees. According to AAPP’s documentation, at least 76 people have been taken hostage since the coup. 28 have been released and 45 remain in custody. Twowere placed under house arrest and one has been sentenced to prison. The 45 who remain in custody include National League for Democracy’s Hluttaw representatives, party leaders, protestors, CDM strikers, those issued warrants under Penal Code 505-a, and those suspected to have links to EAO’s. Two people currently held hostage have been placed under house arrest. On 22 May, in Pantanaw Township, Irrawaddy Division, the junta came to arrest NLD party leader U Mya Nyein at his house. They did not find him, instead taking his wife Daw Nyein Nyine (75 years-old) and his cousin Daw Wine Tine (65 years-old). At first held in Pantanaw Police Station, they were later placed under house arrest. At present, they have not been allowed to return to their home in Mimma Pye Village, instead held at the house of U Mya Nyein. One person who was taken as hostage has been sentenced to prison. On 2 May, in Rangoon Division, the home of political activist Ko Tin Hute Paing, in North Okklapa, was raided. The junta could not find him, instead detaining and beating his mother. On 28 May, at a North Okkalapa military court, she was sentenced to three years under Penal Code 505-a. Of the 76 hostages, 36 of them are women, aged from 2 to 75 years old.Hostage taking is a serious crime, committed by terrorist organizations. Yetsuccessive dictators in Burma have carried out abductions. Preceding drafted constitutions have given impunity for these past crimes and present crimes.In 1979 the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages was first introduced, Myanmar became a state party to the convention on 4 June 2004. Partied states pledged that hostage taking is a threat to international peace and security. Hostage-taking is a violation of the basic values upheld by the United Nations, namely the fundamental rights enjoyed by every individual, including life, liberty, and security, laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(ICCPR). The terrorist actions by this junta clearly defy international humanitarian law in Burma. We, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP),condemn this brutality, call for the immediate release of all hostages, and for the international community to take stern and meaningful action..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 197.51 KB 126.46 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 3 June, (845) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Launglon Township in Tanintharyi Region and Pekon Township in Southern Shan State were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 3 June, a total of (4509) people are currently under detention; of them (138) are sentenced. 1931 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, and 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour (who are evading arrest). We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of 2 June, a 19 year-old youth was shot dead to the forehead and another civilian was seriously injured after being shot in the mouth when junta forces opened sniper fire in Mobye Town, Pekon Township in Southern Shan State. Two women, who were arrested with gunshot injuries later died after they ran away in fear when junta troops entered Chaung Wa Pyin village, Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region on the night of 29 May. Both women were cremated and photos of their bodies were sent to the families by the junta in the evening of 31 May. In the early morning of 3 June, two NLD members were beaten and arrested at their home in Sein Pan Ward, Mahaaungmyay Township in Mandalay Region after an anti-dictatorship protest in Sein Pann ward. Lawyer Thet Tun Oo, who is representing pro-bono, people arrested for staging anti-dictatorship protests in Myitkyina, Kachin State, was arrested on 2 June. This happened after he testified in a case at the court in Myitkyina Prison. He is currently detained at Myitkyina Myoma Police Station. A lawsuit was filed against him under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code by the Myitkyina Myoma Police Station Officer. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.16 MB 4.06 MB 976.54 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 2 June, (842) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Loikaw Township in Kayah State was killed on 30 May and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 2 June, a total of (4468) people are currently under detention; of them (133) are sentenced. 1909 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour and 17 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of May 30, a man was shot dead in an unprovoked shooting by junta troops while riding a motorbike when he returned to Law Pi Ta Village from Kyauk Taung Village at Loikaw Township in Kayah State. On 2 June morning, former village administrator of Pan Lin Village of Pyaung Khaung Village Tract of Mogok Township of Mandalay Region, was arrested by the junta with two military vehicles. In addition to this, after a bomb blast at a car workshop in Ohn Shit Pin town, Pandaung Township, Bago Region on the night of 1 June, a 62 year-old mother and wife of a man who the junta was searching for, were arbitrarily arrested in the morning of 2 June when the junta did not find the man at his home. A grandfather was also arrested on the night of 31 May in Taungdwingyi town, Magway Region when the junta did not find his grandson Pyae Phyo Paing in a search, a political activist. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.09 MB 4.12 MB 978.36 KB
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Title: Lawyer for Myanmar's Suu Kyi worried over representation for secrets case
Description: "The top lawyer for Myanmar's deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, voiced concern on Friday that she had no legal representative listed in the case against her brought by the military junta for breaking the Official Secrets Act. Khing Maung Zaw said the Supreme Court had announced cases to be heard on June 23 against Suu Kyi and four others, including her Australian economic adviser, Sean Turnell, but had listed all of them as representing themselves. "We have concerns that they won't have any legal representatives and there won't be any transparency with hearing," Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters. "Normally, they should contact the defendants and need to give the opportunity to the defendants to contact their lawyers before they announce the case." Reuters was unable to reach the Supreme Court or a junta spokesman for comment. The secrets charges are the most serious ones facing Suu Kyi, 75, and could mean a 14-year jail sentence. She appeared in court for the first time since the coup this month on lesser charges, which include breaking COVID-19 protocols. No explanation has been given for taking the secrets case directly to the Supreme Court, whose verdict cannot be appealed. The army overthrew Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, cutting short a decade of democratic reforms that resulted from a long campaign for democracy that made her a national heroine and won her the Nobel peace prize. The army accused Suu Kyi's party of fraud in its massive victory in a November 2020 election, accusations dismissed by monitors and the then electoral commission. Suu Kyi is among more than 4,500 people who have been detained since the coup, which has plunged Myanmar into chaos - with daily protests, paralysing strikes and a resurgence of ethnic conflicts..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: DVB reporter Aung Kyaw convicted for 2 years
Sub-title: DVB reporter Aung Kyaw in Myeik was sentenced for 2 years imprisonment under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code, on 2 June 2021 by a military court.
Description: "On March 1, Aung Kyaw (32), also known as Kaung Myat Hlaing, was violently arrested by the military at his home in Myeik, where his wife and young daughter were also present. He streamed his arrest live on Facebook, which has been watched millions of times since. He was arrested for reporting about the demonstrations against the military junta in Myeik. As his lawyer was under threat by the junta, he has decided not to hire another lawyer and defended himself in the court during the last 2 court hearings. He argued to charge him under the media law, which would have found him not guilty, as he was arrested for doing his work as a journalist, but the judge refused to accept his argumentation. “I have no confidence in the judiciary under the military council, so I will not appeal”, Aung Kyaw said after the verdict, his wife Mane Chi Moe told DVB. Another DVB’s reporter, Min Nyo was also sentenced to 3 years imprisonment by the court in Pyi on 12th May. The military junta is illegally detaining Aung Kyaw and Min Nyo and there is not a single reason to keep them in prison. The junta has currently 57 journalists detained for doing their work. This is a clear violation of both national and international laws by the Burmese junta. DVB calls for their freedom, together with several international press freedom organizations..."
Source/publisher: Democratic Voice of Burma (Oslo)
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 60.88 KB
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Title: Myanmar military court sentences 2 journalists to jail for incitement
Description: "The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned Myanmar authorities’ sentencing of two journalists to prison on charges of incitement, and called for them to be released immediately. Today, a military court in the southern city of Myeik convicted Aung Kyaw, a reporter with the Democratic Voice of Burma, and Zaw Zaw, a freelance reporter with Mizzima News, under Article 505(a) of the penal code, which criminalizes the dissemination of information that could agitate or cause security forces or state officials to mutiny, according to news reports. The court sentenced each journalist to two years in jail, according to those reports and a statement from the Democratic Voice of Burma, which CPJ reviewed. The journalists do not plan to appeal their sentences, according to those sources. “Myanmar authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Aung Kyaw and Zaw Zaw,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “Reporting the news is not a crime. Myanmar’s junta must stop jailing and sentencing journalists on fabricated charges, and should allow the press to work freely.” Aung Kyaw represented himself during two hearings after his lawyer came under threat by the military, the DVB statement said. Military authorities banned both independent news outlets on March 9 for covering anti-coup protests, as CPJ documented at the time. Authorities first arrested Aung Kyaw at his home in Myiek on March 1, and arrested Zaw Zaw in the same city on April 7; both journalists had covered anti-coup protests in Myiek, those news reports and the DVB statement said. Previously, on May 12, a military court sentenced DVB reporter Min Nyo to three years in prison under Article 505(a). Two other DVB reporters are being held without charge, according to the outlet’s editor-in-chief, Aye Chan Naing, who communicated with CPJ by email, and said that the outlet preferred not to identify those reporters by name. Myanmar’s military regime currently holds dozens of members of the press behind bars, according to preliminary data compiled by CPJ based on independent reporting, news reports, and research by the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, a local rights group. The majority have been detained during newsroom raids or while covering anti-coup street protests, and over half face charges under Article 505(a), according to that data. On April 6, CPJ addressed a public letter to junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing calling on his regime to release all journalists detained in the wake of the February 1 coup. CPJ emailed the Ministry of Information for comment on today’s sentencing, but did not immediately receive any reply..."
Source/publisher: Committee to Protect Journalists (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Demonstrations, defiance as Myanmar marks 4 months since coup
Description: "Pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets in towns around Myanmar on Tuesday to denounce the country's military, marking four months since it ousted an elected government and unleashed a wave of nationwide anger. Despite a bloody crackdown by security forces, Myanmar's military is still struggling to impose order amid protests and strikes, and fighting on multiple fronts in border regions as civilians take up arms against the junta. Protests took place in the south in Luang Lone, several areas of the Sagaing division including Kale and Monywa, and the commercial hub Yangon, according to images carried by mainstream and social media. "This is not over yet. We still have our turn," read a sign carried by one protester. Schools officially reopened across Myanmar for the first time since the Feb. 1 coup, but turnout was low due to security concerns and a boycott over the junta's suspension of tens of thousands of teachers opposed to its rule. Some students held demonstrations with blood-splattered white uniforms. Security forces have killed 840 people since the coup, according to figures from activists cited by the United Nations. The junta says about 300 people have died. The military, known as the Tatmadaw, says it seized power because of fraud in a November election won by Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper carried a quote from junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday saying the current crisis was caused by "dishonesty of democracy" in the election, under a large headline that said "Tatmadaw values democracy". The military's use of lethal force against its own people has caused outrage among western countries, and concern among its neighbours. In April, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced a five-point consensus towards resolving the crisis, though no timeframe was agreed. But four diplomatic sources have told Reuters that the chair and secretary-general of ASEAN are planning to visit Myanmar this week, to meet junta leaders, among other stakeholders. read more It was not clear if they would meet detainees or members of a shadow unity government formed to challenge the junta and undercut its efforts to gain international recognition....HEAVY TOLL: The unrest has taken a heavy toll in the countryside, where clashes between Myanmar's well-equipped military and ethnic minority armies or newly formed People's Defence Forces have displaced tens of thousands of people. On Tuesday, a local aid group said 8,000 people were in camps having fled the town of Mindat in Chin State, which the army took control of last month after days of clashes with militias armed mostly with hunting rifles. The people's militias have stepped up ambushes in recent weeks on troops in Kayah state bordering Thailand, where witnesses said fierce fighting and retaliatory shelling and air strikes had taken place late on Monday in the town of Demoso. A resident shared video and images with Reuters of soldiers he said were killed in Demoso late on Monday. He said he saw six bodies and residents had counted 20. The Karenni Nationalities Defence Force said on its Facebook page that 80 army soldiers had been killed on Monday, while one of its fighters and a civilian were also casualties. Reuters could not verify the information and a spokesman for the junta did not answer calls seeking comment. Myanmar state television made no mention of the Demoso unrest in its nightly news bulletin. Fighting in Kayah has displaced about 37,000 people in recent weeks, according to the United Nations. Many have fled into jungles and are in need of food and medicine. The Elders, a group of former national leaders founded by the late Nelson Mandela, on Tuesday called on the international community, including ASEAN, to turn up pressure on the junta. "Myanmar is currently on a dangerous path towards state failure," its chair, Mary Robinson, said in a statement. "Allowing the coup to succeed through inaction and disregard would further undermine the international rules-based order upon which global stability depends."..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Ex-Myanmar police officers reveal how they were told to shoot protesters - and why they defected
Sub-title: Myanmar's security forces have been accused by Amnesty International of "premeditated" attacks on peaceful protesters.
Description: "In a safe house in Myanmar, resistance is growing. Quietly, in the gloomy light, a group of men raise their hands in a three-finger salute. Traditionally a sign of defiance and support for pro-democracy protesters, for these men it symbolises so much more. Once police or soldiers, they now plan to fight the forces they used to serve. Just talking to us is a huge risk; if caught the defectors could be killed. So in hiding, faces and voices disguised for protection, they explain why they decided to defy the junta. "We were told that we could shoot the protesters if they gathered in more than five. We could arrest them and shoot them," Officer A, a former police officer says. "We were ordered to shoot but we couldn't do it." The allegation echoes the claims of both protesters and human rights groups after February's military coup. Myanmar's security forces have been accused by Amnesty International of "premeditated" attacks on peaceful protesters - including "extrajudicial executions" and indiscriminately spraying bullets in urban areas. While a shoot-to-kill policy has never been officially confirmed by the junta, the defectors claim they were encouraged to open fire. "My friends said if they shot the protesters, they would get a promotion as a reward and be praised for being brave and following the junta's order," another former police officer, Officer B, tells Sky News. "They were promoted from police second lieutenant to police lieutenant, from corporal to sergeant. As far as I know, those who shot the protesters got promoted." A former soldier in the group tells a similar story. According to him, challenging an order wasn't an option. "The soldiers and police are now abusing the people at the order of Min Aung Hlaing (Myanmar's junta chief)," he says. "'Shoot. Just shoot. This is my order,' this is how they order the troops. If we did not follow the order, we would be punished." As well as the shootings, the military is accused of other abuses: of power, of people, and of their duty to protect. Some female protesters have publicly accused members of the security forces of physical and sexual violence following their arrests. The soldier isn't surprised. He says he heard reports of sex assaults during his service, in particular during military operations to ethnic minority areas in Myanmar. "People are calling soldiers 'military dogs' [and] also accusing them of rape. Let me tell you, yes, we have seen those scenes at the frontline. I wasn't involved in it. "The officers were calling the women here and there and abusing them. Rape as well. It's happening," he says, At least 840 people have been killed since the coup, many shot by junta forces according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). We put the allegations made by the defectors to the junta, but on publication Sky News still hadn't received a response. The men say the command to use violence against civilians is the reason they fled and joined the protest movement. Their choice means the institutions they swore an oath to are the enemy they must defeat and the decision to defect has come at great personal sacrifice. They have lost their freedom. They cannot see their families. They cannot return to their hometowns or tell friends where they are. They now live their lives in hiding and on the run, waiting in dark, cramped and basic accommodation fearing they may be discovered. Yet still they remain defiant - determined to fight for the democracy lost when the military seized power. Since the coup, some protesters have travelled to border areas in Myanmar for resistance training and now some of the defectors are planning to use their own skills to help them. "Those [protesters] who are not familiar with the military training, they need to learn how to use the weapons, to fix them, and set them up. "I want to teach them. I will join with those organisations that are in the revolution to fight the junta. "I will fight those power-hungry thugs," the soldier says. "I will join this revolution until the end. I will give my life. I will kill them wherever I see them." So in secret they plan, they train, they get strong; preparing to strike back against the generals they followed for so long..."
Source/publisher: Sky News (London)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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