Kyaw Min Yu, a veteran democracy activist, and Phyo Zeyar Thaw, a lawmaker from the formerly ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party, were sentenced to death by a military court last month. January for treason and terrorism, according to an administration statement at the time.
The United Nations said it was “deeply disturbed” by Friday’s announcement, which UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric described as a flagrant violation of human rights.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the dismissal of charges “against those arrested on charges related to the exercise of their fundamental rights and freedoms, and their immediate release.” to all political prisoners in Myanmar,” Dujarric said.
It is unclear whether Kyaw Min Yu and Phyo Zeyar Thaw have denied the charges against them. The military’s statement made no mention of their plea.
An army spokesman said its appeal against the convictions had been dismissed, though it was not clear by whom. Representatives for the activists could not be reached for comment.
“Previously, people sentenced to death could appeal and if there was no decision, their death sentence would not be carried out. At this point, that appeal has been dismissed so the death sentence is not executed. Pictures will be taken,” government spokesman Zaw Min Tun told BBC Burma.
He did not say when the executions would take place.
Judges in Myanmar give death sentences to serious crimes including murder, but no one has been executed in decades.
The military came to power after complaining of fraud in the November 2020 general election won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD. Election monitoring teams found no evidence of mass fraud.
