WASHINGTON: The Group of Seven (G7) nations have condemned the execution of democracy activists in Myanmar as they expressed deep concern about the political, and human rights situation in the country.
“We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the four executions by the military junta in Myanmar,” the G7 said in a statement on July 28.
These executions, the first in Myanmar in over thirty years, and the absence of fair trials, show the junta’s “contempt for the unwavering democratic aspirations” of the people of Myanmar, they said.
“Those executed were prominent members of the democratic opposition – democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu (known as ‘Ko Jimmy’), former Member of Parliament Phyo Zeyar Thaw, as well as Aung Thura Zaw and Hla Myo Aung. Our thoughts are with the families of the four victims and with those of the many others who have been killed, arrested or tortured in Myanmar since the military illegitimately took over power in February 2021,” the statement added.
The foreign ministers said they continue to condemn in the strongest terms the military coup in Myanmar and express deep concern about the political, economic, social, humanitarian and human rights situation in the country.
“We call on the military regime to immediately end the use of violence, to refrain from further arbitrary executions, to free all political prisoners and those arbitrarily detained and to return the country to a democratic path,” the statement said.
They also stated that G7 will continue to support efforts by ASEAN, and call for the military to meaningfully implement all aspects of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus. “This includes an inclusive process of dialogue with a broad range of democratic opposition. We also continue to support efforts by the United Nations, and encourage effective coordination between the ASEAN Special Envoy and the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on Myanmar,” the statement added.
Myanmar’s military junta Monday reported the execution of four men in the country’s first death sentences carried out in over three decades.
“The Myanmar junta’s execution of four men was an act of utter cruelty,” said Elaine Pearson, acting Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “These executions, including of activist Ko Jimmy and opposition lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw, followed grossly unjust and politically motivated military trials. This horrific news was compounded by the junta’s failure to notify the men’s families, who learned about the executions through the junta’s media reports.” (ANI)
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