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The
United Nations, France, the United States and international
human rights groups have urged the junta not to follow through
with the execution of activist Kyaw Min Yu and former lawmaker
Phyo Zeya Thaw, who lost appeals against a terrorism conviction.
They were found guilty of providing weapons and helping to
organise attacks by resistance groups on state targets. It is
unclear when they will be executed or how they pled in their
trials, which Myanmar has largely held behind closed doors.
Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said there were many countries
using the death penalty.
"At least 50 innocent civilian, excluding security forces, died
because of them. How can you say this is not justice?," Zaw Min
Tun told a televised news conference.
"Required actions are needed to be done in the required
moments."
Myanmar has been in turmoil since a coup early least year that
ended a decade of tentative democracy that was introduced after
five decades of army rule.
The military has defied foreign outrage over the executions,
which United Nations experts last week said were decided without
due process.
"These death sentences, handed down by an illegitimate court of
an illegitimate junta, are a vile attempt at instilling fear
amongst the people of Myanmar," the experts said.
(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Editing by Martin Petty)
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