Masha Midhath   03 December 2022 - 05:49 PM
UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk.
UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Myanmar's military-installed administration has sentenced additional opponents to death, increasing the total to 139, and is using the death penalty as a weapon to stifle criticism.

High Commissioner Volker Turk said at least seven university students were sentenced to death behind closed doors on Wednesday, and there are reports that as many as four more youth activists were sentenced on Thursday.

“The military continues to hold proceedings in secretive courts in violation of basic principles of fair trial and contrary to core judicial guarantees of independence and impartiality,” Turk said in a statement.

“Military courts have consistently failed to uphold any degree of transparency contrary to the most basic due process or fair trial guarantees.”

The military seized power in February last year, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.