1 February 2023

1 February 2023 marks the second anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. Two years ago, the military junta nullified the November 2020 election result, toppled the civilian government, detained the elected leaders, and suppressed the civil disobedience movement with excessive force. Since then, the military has committed crimes against humanity and war crimes with impunity. The security forces under the command of General Min Aung Hlaing have killed over 2,901 civilians, including 282 children. The military has weaponised sexual violence and torture against pro-democracy activists and illegally arrested and detained over 17,500 people in Myanmar. According to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), mass atrocities perpetrated by the military junta are severely affecting women and children. In a clear violation of international human rights law and breaking the country’s 34 years old moratorium on the death penalty, the military junta executed four civilians in July. Military court has sentenced more than 142 people to death in closed proceedings, with serious concerns regarding due process, independence, and impartiality.

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