Sunday, July 5, 2026

Myanmar military executes four democracy activists

Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup last year and has unleashed a bloody crackdown on those opposed to it.

• July 25, 2022
Kyaw Min Yu, Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung, Aung Thura Zaw
Kyaw Min Yu, Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw

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 Southeast Asian nation’s first executions in decades.

Sentenced to death in closed-door trials in January and April, the men had been accused of helping a resistance movement to fight the army that seized power in a coup last year and unleashed a bloody crackdown on opponents.

Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow administration outlawed by the junta, called for international action against the military.

“The global community must punish their cruelty,” Kyaw Zaw, the spokesperson for the NUG president’s office, told Reuters in a text message.

Among those executed were democracy campaigner Kyaw Min Yu, better known as Jimmy, and former lawmaker and hip-hop artist Phyo Zeya Thaw, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

The execution of the activists is Myanmar’s first in more than three decades and defies international appeals for restraint.

The four men included two high-profile activists: Kyaw Min Yu, also known as Ko Jimmy, who became popular after a series of student uprisings in 1988, and Phyo Zeya Thaw, a hip-hop artist turned lawmaker, who was widely admired among Myanmar’s youths.

Messrs Zeya Thaw, 41, and Min Yu, 53, were convicted on terrorism charges and sentenced to death in closed-door trials last fall.

The other two men executed were Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, state media reported, who were convicted of killing an alleged military informant.

Moe Zaw Oo, a member of the unity government – an alliance of anti-junta groups, many of which are in exile – said NUG officials were alerted to the executions early Monday.

(Reuters/NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Persons With Disabilities (PWDs)

Rights

Expert seeks greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance, electoral process

He called for electoral reforms to make polling units more accessible to persons with disabilities.

Nigerian-British grandma with 13kg of cocaine hidden in plantain peels

States

NDLEA arrests Nigerian-British grandma with 13kg of cocaine hidden in plantain peels

The NDLEA said the drugs were concealed in peels of plantain, which appeared as real plantains and were packed among other food items.

Uba Sani of Kaduna State (Credit: Twitter)

States

I will not demolish properties without paying compensation: Uba Sani

Mr Sani said his government has consistently distributed cheques to households affected by projects since the inception of this administration.

Amnesty International

States

Killing of Kaduna farmers shows ‘so-called’ peace deal with terrorists not working: Amnesty International

Amnesty International stated that the people of Birnin Gwari deserve peace, security, and protection from continued violence.

Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee

NationWide

LPDC to hear misconduct petition against SAN, two others on July 29

The petition accused the trio of professional misconduct, criminal misrepresentation, forgery, and perjury.

Operation HADIN KAI,

States

Troops rescue six abductees in Borno

The military said troops remain in aggressive pursuit of the fleeing terrorists.