STATEMENT IN CONDEMNATION OF THE EXECUTIONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN MYANMAR/BURMA

The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) is deeply horrified and disgusted by the execution over the weekend of four prominent political prisoners, including Ko Jimmy & Phyo Zeyar Thaw by SAC military junta. The judicial executions were carried out for the first time in Myanmar since the hanging of Salai Tin Maung Oo over 46 years ago, despite global protests, and in violations of fundamental principles of justice of fair trial, and constitute the deprivation of the right to life and freedom from cruel, inhuman and unusual punishment under international human rights law.

Salai Tin Maung Oo was the last known political prisoner to have been executed, in 1976

It represents a cowardly act of a junta desperate to cling to power through the instruments of fear and terror. In light of this latest despicable acts of utter and complete disregard for world opinion, the international community must now take matching punitive actions against the junta, including further targeted economic sanctions and complete alienation of the illegal military junta from all international arena and diplomatic avenues. It is now particularly timely for ASEAN to review its relations with  the junta and to stop enabling them, including, by expelling or suspending Myanmar from the regional bloc’s membership altogether.

We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the two martyrs.