Myanmar security forces must halt crackdown on peaceful protestors: UN rights chief
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet today said security forces in Myanmar must "halt their vicious crackdown on peaceful protestors," following another day of deadly violence across the country on Wednesday.
"Myanmar's military must stop murdering and jailing protestors," she said in a statement.
"It is utterly abhorrent that security forces are firing live ammunition against peaceful protesters across the country. I am also appalled at the documented attacks against emergency medical staff and ambulances attempting to provide care to those who have been injured."
The UN Human Rights Office has corroborated information that at least 54 people have been killed by police and military officers since the February 1 coup. The actual death toll, however, could be much higher as these are the figures the Office has been able to verify.
It is difficult to establish how many people have suffered injuries, but credible information indicates, at a minimum, hundreds have been wounded during protests, it said.
Since February 1, over 1,700 people have been arbitrarily arrested and detained in relation to their participation in protests or engagement in political activity, including members of parliament, political activists and election officials, authors, human rights defenders, teachers, healthcare workers, civil servants, journalists, monks, and celebrities, the statement read.
The UN Human Rights Office said, however, the actual number of those detained is likely to be much higher, given that demonstrations are reported to have taken place in 537 locations throughout the country where monitoring developments has not always been possible.
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