1st in nearly 50 yrs: Myanmar junta executes 4 democracy activists

Among Those Executed Is A Hip-Hop Artist Who Is Also A Former Lawmaker; Action Condemned Across World

Myanmar’s ruling military has executed four democracy activists accused of helping to carry out “terror acts”, it said on Monday, sparking widespread condemnation of the nation’s first executions in nearly 50 years in what was seen as the latest attempt to instill fear in a resistance movement that has continued to battle the junta since it seized power in a coup last year.

The four activists were sentenced to death this year during closed-door trials in a military court without attorneys present. They were executed in secret on Saturday for “carrying out “brutal and inhumane terror acts such as murdering many innocent people”, charges their defenders have said were unfounded. The men were accused of helping a civilian resistance movement that has fought the military since last year’s coup and bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. State media said “the punishment has been conducted”, but did not say when, or by what method. Previous executions have been by hanging.