“The bloodiest day since the coup” in Myanmar, with 38 dead | Abroad

“It was the bloodiest day since the February 1st coup,” the Swiss said in a digital press conference. She added that a total of more than 50 victims died in the past month and a large number of people were injured.

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Myanmar residents have been taking to the streets in droves for weeks to protest the coup. The authorities are trying to suppress these protests by increasing means. Security forces used lethal force frequently, despite international criticism.

Eyewitnesses reported that in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, at least eight people were killed by security forces who fired automatic weapons at them. Several people were also injured. Six people were killed in the central city of Muniwa. Fatalities also occurred in Mandalay, the second city in the country.

Yangon protesters flee the police.

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The situation has also spiraled out of control in Mingyan City. There, protesters with improvised armor confronted the security forces. “They fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition,” said a local rescue worker, who reported at least 10 injuries.

coup

The military seized power on February 1 and arrested Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi. The generals say there was fraud in the election that was won by the Nobel Prize-winning political party. Other senior officials have also been arrested.

Authorities are also currently prosecuting six journalists, including a cameraman from the Associated Press. They have spoken out about the protests and risked years of imprisonment. According to one lawyer, the journalists are accused of violating a law that prohibits, among other things, “sowing fear and spreading false news.”

International criticism of the Myanmar authorities is growing. According to informed sources, the UK wants the UN Security Council to meet on Friday to discuss the situation in the country.