Irrawaddy-June 13
In a demonstration of its determination to execute two democracy activists on death row, Myanmar’s military regime has turned down their ally’s request to refrain from carrying out the death sentences. On Friday, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen sent a letter to junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing urging him “to reconsider” and “refrain” from executing ousted National League for Democracy lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy. Hun Sen said the proposed executions were attracting “great concern among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its external partners.”
In his letter to Min Aung Hlaing, Hun Sen said the planned executions, if carried out, will trigger very strong and widespread negative reaction from the international community, while having a devastating effect on ASEAN and Cambodia’s efforts to help Myanmar return to normalcy. However, the junta’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied to Cambodia on Saturday with legal explanations on why the death sentences have to be carried out, as well as detailing the alleged crimes committed by Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and Ko Jimmy, BBC Burmese reported. If the hangings are carried out, they will be the first executions to take place in Myanmar since 1976. A total of 114 people have been sentenced to death since last year’s coup, two of them minors, including students and anti-junta activists. Read more at:
