Over 610 killed in Myanmar since coup: Rights group

By Pizaro Gozali Idrus

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - More than 610 people have been killed in a military crackdown against anti-coup protesters in Myanmar, according to a human rights group on late Thursday.

In its daily report, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said the latest killing of 16 protesters by police and security forces brought the total number to 614.

As of April 8, the group said at least 2,857 people are under detention and 52 have been sentenced, while arrest warrants have been issued for 500 people.

According to the report, 25 citizens were killed by the junta forces in Kale and Taze townships in Sagaing and Bago regions, respectively.

“Yet people across Burma staged protests without fear, confronting the brutality of the military dictatorship,” it added.

The group said the military has limited people’s access to news and the flow of information, and continues to restrict access to the internet.

On Feb. 1, Myanmar’s military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. In response to the coup, civilian groups across the country launched a civil disobedience campaign with mass demonstrations and sit-ins.

*Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo with Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language services in Jakarta​​​​​​​