Myanmar arrests 58 people ahead of planned nationwide protests

By Saadet Firdevs Apari

BANGKOK (AA) - At least 58 people have been arrested in Myanmar ahead of the one-year anniversary of the army’s seizure of power, state-run media reported on Monday.

Opponents of military rule in the country have called for a "Silent Strike" that aims to evacuate streets and close the shops on Tuesday for several hours.

The arrests came after official warnings that anyone participating in the strike would face at least four charges, including the Anti-Terrorism Act, a maximum life sentence, as well as property confiscation and investigation.

Earlier this month, Myanmar’s former de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four more years in jail on charges related to COVID-19 restrictions violations and possession of “illegally imported” walkie-talkies.

The deposed leader was earlier sentenced to two years in prison on other charges.

The cases are among about a dozen brought against the 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate since her National League for Democracy-led government was deposed.

The Feb. 1 coup was met by mass civil unrest as people protested Suu Kyi's ouster and the restoration of military governance. The junta cracked down violently on protests and the UN has repeatedly warned the country has descended into civil war.

According to the Myanmar-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, about 1,503 people have been killed and more than 8,835 demonstrators arrested in the military’s brutal crackdown.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, a non-profit that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists, said in its latest report that "press freedom is dying in Myanmar" and a military campaign of "intimidation, censorship, arrests and detentions" of journalists has recently turned into "outright killing."

The repression, it said, aims to stop independent media reporting on "junta's crimes and abuses."

*Writing by Beyza Binnur Donmez​​​​​​​