US condemns executions of former lawmaker, detainees in Myanmar

The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar on Monday condemned the country’s military regime for executing a former lawmaker, a pro-democracy activist and two other prisoners over the weekend.

The embassy tweeted officials were mourning the loss of Ko Jimmy, Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung, and Aung Thura Zaw, whom Myanmar military officials executed despite international pleas to grant clemency to the prisoners.

“We condemn the military’s regime execution of pro-democracy leaders and elected officials for exercising their fundamental freedoms,” the embassy wrote.

The military junta carried out its first executions in 50 years, hanging the former lawmaker and other three detainees.

The executions were announced over the weekend by the state-run newspaper the Mirror Daily, according to The Associated Press, and the prisoners were reportedly killed for directing “violent and inhuman accomplice acts of terrorist killings.”

Myanmar, also known as Burma, fell to a military junta in February 2021 after the Asian nation’s democratic leaders and government were ousted in a coup.

The country has since fallen into economic despair and protest movements have been quashed by deadly violence from the military, which has opened fire on unarmed civilians.

According to the AP, Phyo Zeya Thaw was a former member of the National League for Democracy party and was convicted in January during a closed military court proceeding of financing terrorism.

Ko Jimmy was a former pro-democracy activist convicted on counterterrorism charges, while Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw were convicted of torturing and killing a woman last year.