Following overnight raids in the properties of officials supporting the ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, anti-coup demonstrators have vowed big turnouts on the streets on Sunday.

The National League for Democracy party confirmed that some officials were raided and arrested overnight. "It's true that in some townships NLD officials were arrested. But we do not know exactly how many persons were taken or arrested," Soe Win, a party official, told the news agency AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-asks-india-to-return-eight-police-who-fled-across-border-368439">Myanmar asks India to return eight police who fled across border</a>

NLD MP Sithu Maung also took to social media platform Facebook to report that the Myanmar army went to the party's information officer U Maung Maung's house to search for him, but could not find him there.

He also alleged that "U Maung Maung’s brother was beaten by police and soldiers and his body was held in an upside-down position while he was tortured because there was no one to arrest," the MP's Facebook post read.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/19-myanmar-police-officers-seek-refuge-in-india-rather-than-carry-out-juntas-orders-368000">Also read |&nbsp;Myanmar police officers seek refuge in India rather than carry out junta's orders</a>

The overnight raids have come days after Myanmar witnessed one of the deadliest days so far since the military coup and detainment of the civilian leader, Suu Kyi.

As per a report by the UN, Wednesday was labelled as the deadliest day when at least 38 people were, reportedly, gunned down by the security forces while trying to stop the demonstrators from protesting 'íllegally'. It was also reported that more than 1,700 people have been detained, with the actual number predictably being believed to be higher.

While the Myanmar army is trying to tackle the growing crowd of demonstrators on the streets, locals and anti-coup demonstrators are now taking on a musical flavour to raise their voices against the military coup.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/myanmar-forces-fire-tear-gas-stun-grenades-on-protest-as-un-envoy-calls-for-action-368498">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/myanmar-forces-fire-tear-gas-stun-grenades-on-protest-as-un-envoy-calls-for-action-368498/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In Yangon's North Okkalapa township, demonstrators can be seen with guitarists, drummers and singers performing revolutionary songs while wearing t-shirts with the face of Aung San Suu Kyi and messages in support of her.

Meanwhile, another situation is building on the border shared by Myanmar and India where Myanmar locals are trying to cross the border.&nbsp;

Around 30 Myanmar police and their family members came across the border seeking refuge in recent days, as the military junta's suppression of protesters has turned increasingly violent, with dozens killed since the February 1 coup.

Myanmar authorities have urged India to return the police officers who have already fled across the border.

"In order to uphold friendly relations between the two neighbour countries, you are kindly requested to detain 8 Myanmar police personnel who had arrived to Indian territories and hand-over to Myanmar," the letter sent to a senior official in Mizoram by Myanmar's Falam district read, as per Reuters.

Following overnight raids in the properties of officials supporting the ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, anti-coup demonstrators have vowed big turnouts on the streets on Sunday.

Following overnight raids in the properties of officials supporting the ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, anti-coup demonstrators have vowed big turnouts on the streets on Sunday. The National League for Democracy party confirmed that some officials were raided and arrested overnight. "It's true that in some townships NLD officials were arrested. But we do not know exactly how many persons were taken or arrested," Soe Win, a party official, told the news agency AFP. Also read | Myanmar asks India to return eight police who fled across border NLD MP Sithu Maung also took to social media platform Facebook to report that the Myanmar army went to the party's information officer U Maung Maung's house to search for him, but could not find him there. He also alleged that "U Maung Maung’s brother was beaten by police and soldiers and his body was held in an upside-down position while he was tortured because there was no one to arrest," the MP's Facebook post read. Also read | Myanmar police officers seek refuge in India rather than carry out junta's orders The overnight raids have come days after Myanmar witnessed one of the deadliest days so far since the military coup and detainment of the civilian leader, Suu Kyi. As per a report by the UN, Wednesday was labelled as the deadliest day when at least 38 people were, reportedly, gunned down by the security forces while trying to stop the demonstrators from protesting 'íllegally'. It was also reported that more than 1,700 people have been detained, with the actual number predictably being believed to be higher. While the Myanmar army is trying to tackle the growing crowd of demonstrators on the streets, locals and anti-coup demonstrators are now taking on a musical flavour to raise their voices against the military coup. WATCH | In Yangon's North Okkalapa township, demonstrators can be seen with guitarists, drummers and singers performing revolutionary songs while wearing t-shirts with the face of Aung San Suu Kyi and messages in support of her. Meanwhile, another situation is building on the border shared by Myanmar and India where Myanmar locals are trying to cross the border. Around 30 Myanmar police and their family members came across the border seeking refuge in recent days, as the military junta's suppression of protesters has turned increasingly violent, with dozens killed since the February 1 coup. Myanmar authorities have urged India to return the police officers who have already fled across the border. "In order to uphold friendly relations between the two neighbour countries, you are kindly requested to detain 8 Myanmar police personnel who had arrived to Indian territories and hand-over to Myanmar," the letter sent to a senior official in Mizoram by Myanmar's Falam district read, as per Reuters.

Myanmar: Anti-coup demonstrators promise increased turnout after overnight raids

With the use of rubber bullets and stun grenades among others, Myanmar police have intensified the crackdown against the peaceful demonstrators.

Myanmar urges India to send back 8 officers

An alliance of influential worker unions in Myanmar has called for an extended nationwide strike starting on Monday, with the intention of causing the "full, extended shutdown" of the country`s economy in an attempt to stop a military coup.

In a statement, nine labour organisations called on "all Myanmar people" to stop work in an effort to reverse the seizure of power by the military, which overthrew the civilian government on Feb. 1.

Moe Sanda Myint, chairwoman of the Federation of Garment Workers Myanmar, said she believed the majority of workers would join.

"We are urging to continue the strike until the dictatorship is uprooted," she said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/aung-san-suu-kyi-party-official-dies-in-police-custody-protests-erupt-across-myanmar-368647">Also read |&nbsp;Aung San Suu Kyi party official dies in police custody; protests erupt across Myanmar</a>

Andrew Tillett-Saks, Myanmar Country Program Director and Regional Senior Organizing Specialist for the Solidarity Center, a U.S-based worker rights organization, said the strike "increases the likelihood that many more from the private sector will answer the call in the days and weeks that follow".

"This is a strategy that could actually plausibly really pressure the military," he said.

A spokesman for the military junta did not answer phone calls seeking comment.

An alliance of influential worker unions in Myanmar has called for an extended nationwide strike starting on Monday, with the intention of causing the "full, extended shutdown" of the country`s economy in an attempt to stop a military coup.

An alliance of influential worker unions in Myanmar has called for an extended nationwide strike starting on Monday, with the intention of causing the "full, extended shutdown" of the country`s economy in an attempt to stop a military coup. In a statement, nine labour organisations called on "all Myanmar people" to stop work in an effort to reverse the seizure of power by the military, which overthrew the civilian government on Feb. 1. Moe Sanda Myint, chairwoman of the Federation of Garment Workers Myanmar, said she believed the majority of workers would join. "We are urging to continue the strike until the dictatorship is uprooted," she said. Also read | Aung San Suu Kyi party official dies in police custody; protests erupt across Myanmar Andrew Tillett-Saks, Myanmar Country Program Director and Regional Senior Organizing Specialist for the Solidarity Center, a U.S-based worker rights organization, said the strike "increases the likelihood that many more from the private sector will answer the call in the days and weeks that follow". "This is a strategy that could actually plausibly really pressure the military," he said. A spokesman for the military junta did not answer phone calls seeking comment.

Myanmar unions call for nationwide strike starting Monday

An official from the party of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi died overnight in police custody, reports say.

The cause of Khin Maung Latt's death was not known, but according to Reuters, the&nbsp;body was found with a bloodstained cloth around the head.&nbsp;

Sithu Maung, a member of the dissolved parliament, said in a Facebook post that Khin Maung Latt was his campaign manager and was arrested on Saturday night in the Pabedan district of Yangon.

In the wake of this incident, protests were held in at least half a dozen cities in some of the most widespread action against the coup last month. And security forces cracked down on many of the protests across the country on Sunday.

Video posted by media group Myanmar Now showed soldiers beating up men in Yangon, where at least three protests were held despite overnight raids by security forces on campaign leaders and opposition activists.

The United Nations says security forces have killed more than 50 people to stamp out daily demonstrations and strikes in the Southeast Asian nation since the military overthrew and detained Suu Kyi on February 1.

<a href="wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-anti-coup-demonstrators-promise-increased-turnout-after-overnight-raids-368561">Also read |&nbsp;Myanmar: Anti-coup demonstrators promise increased turnout after overnight raids</a>

The state-run Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper quoted a police statement as saying security forces were dealing with the protests in accordance with law. It said the forces were using tear gas and stun grenades to break up rioting and protests that were blocking public roads.

Over 1,700 people had been detained under the military junta by Saturday, according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group. It did not give a figure for overnight detentions.

"Detainees were punched and kicked with military boots, beaten with police batons and then dragged into police vehicles," AAPP said in a statement. "Security forces entered residential areas and tried to arrest further protesters, and shot at the homes, destroying many."

The killings have drawn anger in the West and been condemned by most democracies in Asia. The United States and some other Western countries have imposed limited sanctions on the junta.

China, Myanmar's giant neighbour to the northeast, said on Sunday it is prepared to engage with "all parties" to ease the crisis and is not taking sides.

Protesters demand the release of Suu Kyi and respect for November's election - which her party won in a landslide but which the army rejected. The army has said it will hold democratic elections at an unspecified date.

(with inputs from agencies)

An official from the party of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi died overnight in police custody, reports say. The cause of Khin Maung Latt's death was not known, but according to Reuters, the body was found with a bloodstained cloth around the head.

An official from the party of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi died overnight in police custody, reports say. The cause of Khin Maung Latt's death was not known, but according to Reuters, the body was found with a bloodstained cloth around the head. Sithu Maung, a member of the dissolved parliament, said in a Facebook post that Khin Maung Latt was his campaign manager and was arrested on Saturday night in the Pabedan district of Yangon. In the wake of this incident, protests were held in at least half a dozen cities in some of the most widespread action against the coup last month. And security forces cracked down on many of the protests across the country on Sunday. Video posted by media group Myanmar Now showed soldiers beating up men in Yangon, where at least three protests were held despite overnight raids by security forces on campaign leaders and opposition activists. The United Nations says security forces have killed more than 50 people to stamp out daily demonstrations and strikes in the Southeast Asian nation since the military overthrew and detained Suu Kyi on February 1. Also read | Myanmar: Anti-coup demonstrators promise increased turnout after overnight raids The state-run Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper quoted a police statement as saying security forces were dealing with the protests in accordance with law. It said the forces were using tear gas and stun grenades to break up rioting and protests that were blocking public roads. Over 1,700 people had been detained under the military junta by Saturday, according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group. It did not give a figure for overnight detentions. "Detainees were punched and kicked with military boots, beaten with police batons and then dragged into police vehicles," AAPP said in a statement. "Security forces entered residential areas and tried to arrest further protesters, and shot at the homes, destroying many." The killings have drawn anger in the West and been condemned by most democracies in Asia. The United States and some other Western countries have imposed limited sanctions on the junta. China, Myanmar's giant neighbour to the northeast, said on Sunday it is prepared to engage with "all parties" to ease the crisis and is not taking sides. Protesters demand the release of Suu Kyi and respect for November's election - which her party won in a landslide but which the army rejected. The army has said it will hold democratic elections at an unspecified date. (with inputs from agencies)

Aung San Suu Kyi party official dies in police custody; protests erupt across Myanmar

Despite all the night raids by security forces in Yangon. Thousands of people came out on the street in Myanmar on Sunday to demonstrate against last month coup. Into the early hour, soldiers and police moved into several districts of Yangon firing shots. According to the residence, the police arrested at least 3 people in Kyunktada township.

Myanmar: Protests resume despite overnight raids in Yangon

As the Political crisis escalates and pro-democracy activist holds a fresh demonstration. United nation security council has held a closed-door meeting to discuss the ongoing situation in Myanmar.

UN Special Envoy on Myanmar sends out a Strong Appeal

Myanmar authorities exhumed the body of a 19-year-old woman, who was shot dead wearing a T-shirt that read 'Everything will be OK' and their examination exonerated police from the killing, state television MRTV said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Kyal Sin, widely known as Angel, died on Wednesday from a shot to the head as protesters came under fire from security forces trying to end demonstrations against the February 1 coup. She has become an icon of the protest movement.&nbsp;

The exhumation of Kyal Sin has brought fresh outrage from opponents of the coup, who accuse the junta of trying to conceal the fact she was killed by their forces.&nbsp;

State television said police, a judge and doctors had exhumed the body and carried out a surgical investigation.&nbsp;

They found a penetration wound in the back of the head and a piece of lead measuring 1.2 cm by 0.7 cm in the brain and said that it was different from the tips of bullets used by the police.&nbsp;

State television said police had been face-to-face with the protesters and the wound was at the back of the head and that the object which killed Kyal Sin could be fired from a gun able to shoot .38 calibre bullets.&nbsp;

"Therefore, it can be assumed that those who do not want stability conducted the assassination," MRTV said.&nbsp;

On social media, coup opponents described the exhumation as a further insult to Kyal Sin and her family, with the intention of giving a false account of what happened.&nbsp;

A military spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment. &nbsp;

State television said authorities had asked for the family's permission to exhume the body, but did not say whether it was granted. &nbsp;

Protesters at the scene of the demonstration in Mandalay on Wednesday said they had come under fire from live bullets at the time Kyal Sin was killed.&nbsp;

Kyal Sin had the back of her head turned towards the line of security forces in the moments before she was killed.&nbsp;

Residents said Kyal Sin's body had been exhumed on Friday by a team who arrived under police and military guard and kept people away from the grave site. The tomb was sealed with fresh cement and discarded rubber boots and gloves and plastic surgical gowns littered the site on Saturday.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Myanmar authorities exhumed the body of a 19-year-old woman, who was shot dead wearing a T-shirt that read 'Everything will be OK' and their examination exonerated police from the killing, state television MRTV said on Saturday.

Myanmar authorities exhumed the body of a 19-year-old woman, who was shot dead wearing a T-shirt that read 'Everything will be OK' and their examination exonerated police from the killing, state television MRTV said on Saturday. Kyal Sin, widely known as Angel, died on Wednesday from a shot to the head as protesters came under fire from security forces trying to end demonstrations against the February 1 coup. She has become an icon of the protest movement. The exhumation of Kyal Sin has brought fresh outrage from opponents of the coup, who accuse the junta of trying to conceal the fact she was killed by their forces. State television said police, a judge and doctors had exhumed the body and carried out a surgical investigation. They found a penetration wound in the back of the head and a piece of lead measuring 1.2 cm by 0.7 cm in the brain and said that it was different from the tips of bullets used by the police. State television said police had been face-to-face with the protesters and the wound was at the back of the head and that the object which killed Kyal Sin could be fired from a gun able to shoot .38 calibre bullets. "Therefore, it can be assumed that those who do not want stability conducted the assassination," MRTV said. On social media, coup opponents described the exhumation as a further insult to Kyal Sin and her family, with the intention of giving a false account of what happened. A military spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment. State television said authorities had asked for the family's permission to exhume the body, but did not say whether it was granted. Protesters at the scene of the demonstration in Mandalay on Wednesday said they had come under fire from live bullets at the time Kyal Sin was killed. Kyal Sin had the back of her head turned towards the line of security forces in the moments before she was killed. Residents said Kyal Sin's body had been exhumed on Friday by a team who arrived under police and military guard and kept people away from the grave site. The tomb was sealed with fresh cement and discarded rubber boots and gloves and plastic surgical gowns littered the site on Saturday. (With inputs from agencies)

'Everything will be OK' Myanmar protester's body exhumed  

Myanmar security forces used tear gas and stun grenades to break up a protest in Yangon on Saturday, just hours after a United Nations special envoy called on the Security Council to take action against the ruling junta for the killings of protesters.

Myanmar forces fire tear gas, stun grenades on protest as UN envoy calls for action

64 people have been killed in 33 days since the #MyanmarCoup. Among those dead is a 25-yr-old university student who was shot in the heart. There are blackouts, internet shutdowns & state brutality

Gravitas: Myanmar coup: 64 killed in 33 days

Protesters in Myanmar have taken to stringing up women's clothing on lines across the streets to slow down police and soldiers because walking beneath them is traditionally considered bad luck for men.&nbsp;

The wraparound cloths, known as longyi, are hung on washing lines. Sometimes women's underwear is used too.&nbsp;

"The reason why we hang the longyis across the streets is that we have the traditional belief that if we pass underneath a longyi, we might lose our luck," said one 20-year-old protester, who declined to give his name for fear of reprisals.&nbsp;

"The younger generation nowadays doesn't believe it anymore, but the soldiers still do, and it's their weakness. So, we might gain more time to run if they come towards us in case of emergency."&nbsp;

Videos on social media have shown police taking down the lines of clothes before crossing them. Traditionally walking beneath items used to cover women's private parts is not only bad luck, but emasculating for men.&nbsp;

Police was not available for comment.&nbsp;

For more than a month, protesters have demonstrated across Myanmar against the February 1 military coup and the arrest of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of others. More than 50 protesters have been killed by security forces.&nbsp;

The lines of clothing do not stop police using teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades. Some protesters have also been killed by live bullets. The army has said it has responded to the protests with restraint.&nbsp;

The army seized power alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party. The electoral commission had dismissed its allegations.&nbsp;

Protesters in Myanmar have taken to stringing up women's clothing on lines across the streets to slow down police and soldiers because walking beneath them is traditionally considered bad luck for men.

Protesters in Myanmar have taken to stringing up women's clothing on lines across the streets to slow down police and soldiers because walking beneath them is traditionally considered bad luck for men. The wraparound cloths, known as longyi, are hung on washing lines. Sometimes women's underwear is used too. "The reason why we hang the longyis across the streets is that we have the traditional belief that if we pass underneath a longyi, we might lose our luck," said one 20-year-old protester, who declined to give his name for fear of reprisals. "The younger generation nowadays doesn't believe it anymore, but the soldiers still do, and it's their weakness. So, we might gain more time to run if they come towards us in case of emergency." Videos on social media have shown police taking down the lines of clothes before crossing them. Traditionally walking beneath items used to cover women's private parts is not only bad luck, but emasculating for men. Police was not available for comment. For more than a month, protesters have demonstrated across Myanmar against the February 1 military coup and the arrest of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of others. More than 50 protesters have been killed by security forces. The lines of clothing do not stop police using teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades. Some protesters have also been killed by live bullets. The army has said it has responded to the protests with restraint. The army seized power alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party. The electoral commission had dismissed its allegations.

Protesters string up women's clothes for protection in Myanmar 

According to sources, Myanmar's military rulers attempted to move $1 billion held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, days after seizing power on February 1.

Sources: Myanmar Military rulers attempted to move US funds

A 19-yr-old student Kyal Sin has been killed in Myanmar protests. A total of 38 people lost their lives on Thursday, the 'bloodiest' day since the February 1 Myanmar coup. The Army has deployed fighter jets to intimidate protesters. WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Myanmar's 'bloodiest' day of protests

The world hasn't seen Aung San Suu Kyi after the coup. How is Aung San Suu Kyi? Does the trial hold any merit? What does the future hold for Myanmar? WION's Palki Sharma brings you an exclusive conversation with Khin Maung Zaw - the lawyer of Suu Kyi.

Gravitas: Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer still doesn't have access to her

Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;has removed five channels of Myanmar's military-run television networks hosted on its platform in the wake of the coup in the Southeast Asian country.

"We have terminated a number of channels and removed several videos from&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;in accordance with our community guidelines and applicable laws," a&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;spokeswoman said in a statement in response to a Reuters question.

The channels taken down include the state network, MRTV, (Myanma Radio and Television) as well as the military-owned Myawaddy Media, MWD Variety and MWD Myanmar,&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;said.

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Their removal comes during the bloodiest week so far of anti-coup protests, with 38 people killed on Wednesday, according to the United Nations, as security forces tried to crush rallies and used live rounds in some areas.

The army seized power on February&nbsp;1, alleging mass fraud in the November election won by Aung San Suu Kyi's government. The election commission said the vote was fair, but the military has used media to make its case and justify the takeover.

MRTV pages were banned by Facebook in February, while it had previously barred Myawaddy in 2018 when it banned army chief Min Aung Hlaing - now the military ruler - and more than a dozen other senior officers and organisations on the platform.

Facebook has now banned all pages linked to Myanmar’s army and was itself banned by the junta in February.

Other social media platforms are also grappling with how to moderate military content and proliferation of hate speech and misinformation in Myanmar.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Myanmar soldiers and police were using TikTok to deliver death threats to protesters.

Researchers have said that after the Facebook ban the military was trying to build its presence on other platforms.

YouTube&nbsp;had faced criticism from researchers and civil society groups for a comparatively hands-off approach during Myanmar's November&nbsp;8 vote.

A Reuters review found dozens of channels hosted on&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;that had promoted election misinformation while posing either as news outlets or political programmes.

Google said in December it had terminated 34&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;channels following an investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Myanmar.

Alphabet Inc's YouTube has removed five channels of Myanmar's military-run television networks hosted on its platform in the wake of the coup in the Southeast Asian country.

Alphabet Inc's YouTube has removed five channels of Myanmar's military-run television networks hosted on its platform in the wake of the coup in the Southeast Asian country. "We have terminated a number of channels and removed several videos from YouTube in accordance with our community guidelines and applicable laws," a YouTube spokeswoman said in a statement in response to a Reuters question. The channels taken down include the state network, MRTV, (Myanma Radio and Television) as well as the military-owned Myawaddy Media, MWD Variety and MWD Myanmar, YouTube said. Their removal comes during the bloodiest week so far of anti-coup protests, with 38 people killed on Wednesday, according to the United Nations, as security forces tried to crush rallies and used live rounds in some areas. The army seized power on February 1, alleging mass fraud in the November election won by Aung San Suu Kyi's government. The election commission said the vote was fair, but the military has used media to make its case and justify the takeover. MRTV pages were banned by Facebook in February, while it had previously barred Myawaddy in 2018 when it banned army chief Min Aung Hlaing - now the military ruler - and more than a dozen other senior officers and organisations on the platform. Facebook has now banned all pages linked to Myanmar’s army and was itself banned by the junta in February. Other social media platforms are also grappling with how to moderate military content and proliferation of hate speech and misinformation in Myanmar. Reuters reported on Thursday that Myanmar soldiers and police were using TikTok to deliver death threats to protesters. Researchers have said that after the Facebook ban the military was trying to build its presence on other platforms. YouTube had faced criticism from researchers and civil society groups for a comparatively hands-off approach during Myanmar's November 8 vote. A Reuters review found dozens of channels hosted on YouTube that had promoted election misinformation while posing either as news outlets or political programmes. Google said in December it had terminated 34 YouTube channels following an investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Myanmar.

YouTube removes five Myanmar TV channels from platform

38 killed in one day. Blood-drenched streets, gunshots, tear gas & violence continues in #Myanmar. EU suspends development funds. 19-Year-old protester wearing 'Everything Will Be Okay' T-shirt shot dead in crackdown. Hundreds attend funeral, tributes pour in on social media.

Defiant Myanmar protesters return a day after bloodiest crackdown

Aung San Suu Kyi -- facing charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols -- has been held incommunicado since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar.

She, however, appeared at a court hearing via video conferencing this week and looked in good health. Suu Kyi's attorney, Khin Maung Zaw, hasn't seen her though. He has heard her speak to the presiding judge, and says she sounds fine.

In an exclusive conversation with WION on Thursday, Zaw said he hopes Suu Kyi gets a fair trial.

"We haven't been able to speak with her. But we were allowed to listen -- only listen -- to her conversation with the presiding judge. By her voice, she seemed to be in good health. She did not seem depressed," he said.

Zaw has still not been designated as Suu Kyi's defence attorney as the court has not permitted him. "We have still not been able to look at the documents and know of the reasons for which she was arrested. We are seeking permission," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/she-is-a-hero-in-myanmars-protests-women-are-on-the-front-lines-368040">Also read |&nbsp;‘She is a hero’: In Myanmar’s protests, women are on the front lines</a>

Zaw added, "It's not normal for someone to not have a defence attorney one month into a trial. As a lawyer, I do have faith in my country's judiciary. But in this case, I have a doubt. I just hope she gets a fair trial.

The military has justified the coup by saying its complaints of voter fraud in the November 8 vote were ignored. Suu Kyi's party won by a landslide, earning a second term. The election commission said the vote was fair.

"The entire world knows the election fraud is just a pretext to stage the military coup," Zaw told WION.

Zaw also refuted any possibility of a foreign tribunal interfering in the matter. He said, "That may be very difficult to establish. The military here is very adamant. It is pretending to be patriotic and nationalistic. It is not."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-aung-san-suu-kyis-lawyer-still-doesnt-have-access-to-her-368067">WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer still doesn't have access to her</a>

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The attorney, in conversation with WION, also welcomed requests from Myanmar's neighbouring countries and the West to release Suu Kyi, but added, "reasonable requests are meant for reasonable minds."

The United Nations has placed trust in China and Russia to resolve the conflict in Myanmar. But Zaw begs to differ.

He said, "China and Russia have always stood by the military in the crisis. They used their veto power also at the UNSC. So for obvious reasons, I don't place my trust in China and Russia for the resolution of this crisis."

Zaw also called on the international community to undertake a direct action.

"The international community should think of sanctions. A direct action would be favourable in this case," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/19-myanmar-police-officers-seek-refuge-in-india-rather-than-carry-out-juntas-orders-368000">Also read |&nbsp;19 Myanmar police officers seek refuge in India rather than carry out junta's orders</a>

When asked about his concern for his own safety as he spoke with foreign press, Zaw said, "Of course, I am worried for my safety. But as a lawyer, I have an ethical duty to stand up for truth and justice. I have been in jail for nine years. I am not concerned about that."

He added, "The young Myanmar -- the students and the intellectuals -- who have been protesting on the street for so many weeks are braver than me."

Myanmar has been in chaos since the army seized power and detained Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership on February 1.

The coup, which brought a halt to tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule, has drawn hundreds of thousands onto the streets and the condemnation of Western countries.

At least 54 people have been killed and over 1,700 detained since Myanmar's February 1 coup, the UN rights chief said Thursday, demanding that the military halt its "vicious crackdown".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-rights-chief-tells-myanmar-military-to-stop-murdering-protesters-367967">Also read |&nbsp;UN rights chief tells Myanmar military to 'stop murdering' protesters</a>

On Thursday, protesters hit the streets again in Yangon and Mandalay, the nation's two biggest cities, as well as other towns that have been hotspots for unrest. The junta has sought to hide its crackdown from the rest of the world, choking the internet and banning Facebook -- the most popular social media platform.

Suu Kyi, 75, is reportedly being detained in Naypyidaw, the isolated capital that the military built during its previous, decades-long dictatorship.

Aung San Suu Kyi -- facing charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols -- has been held incommunicado since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar.

Aung San Suu Kyi -- facing charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols -- has been held incommunicado since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar. She, however, appeared at a court hearing via video conferencing this week and looked in good health. Suu Kyi's attorney, Khin Maung Zaw, hasn't seen her though. He has heard her speak to the presiding judge, and says she sounds fine. In an exclusive conversation with WION on Thursday, Zaw said he hopes Suu Kyi gets a fair trial. "We haven't been able to speak with her. But we were allowed to listen -- only listen -- to her conversation with the presiding judge. By her voice, she seemed to be in good health. She did not seem depressed," he said. Zaw has still not been designated as Suu Kyi's defence attorney as the court has not permitted him. "We have still not been able to look at the documents and know of the reasons for which she was arrested. We are seeking permission," he said. Also read | ‘She is a hero’: In Myanmar’s protests, women are on the front lines Zaw added, "It's not normal for someone to not have a defence attorney one month into a trial. As a lawyer, I do have faith in my country's judiciary. But in this case, I have a doubt. I just hope she gets a fair trial. The military has justified the coup by saying its complaints of voter fraud in the November 8 vote were ignored. Suu Kyi's party won by a landslide, earning a second term. The election commission said the vote was fair. "The entire world knows the election fraud is just a pretext to stage the military coup," Zaw told WION. Zaw also refuted any possibility of a foreign tribunal interfering in the matter. He said, "That may be very difficult to establish. The military here is very adamant. It is pretending to be patriotic and nationalistic. It is not." WATCH | Gravitas: Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer still doesn't have access to her × The attorney, in conversation with WION, also welcomed requests from Myanmar's neighbouring countries and the West to release Suu Kyi, but added, "reasonable requests are meant for reasonable minds." The United Nations has placed trust in China and Russia to resolve the conflict in Myanmar. But Zaw begs to differ. He said, "China and Russia have always stood by the military in the crisis. They used their veto power also at the UNSC. So for obvious reasons, I don't place my trust in China and Russia for the resolution of this crisis." Zaw also called on the international community to undertake a direct action. "The international community should think of sanctions. A direct action would be favourable in this case," he said. Also read | 19 Myanmar police officers seek refuge in India rather than carry out junta's orders When asked about his concern for his own safety as he spoke with foreign press, Zaw said, "Of course, I am worried for my safety. But as a lawyer, I have an ethical duty to stand up for truth and justice. I have been in jail for nine years. I am not concerned about that." He added, "The young Myanmar -- the students and the intellectuals -- who have been protesting on the street for so many weeks are braver than me." Myanmar has been in chaos since the army seized power and detained Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership on February 1. The coup, which brought a halt to tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule, has drawn hundreds of thousands onto the streets and the condemnation of Western countries. At least 54 people have been killed and over 1,700 detained since Myanmar's February 1 coup, the UN rights chief said Thursday, demanding that the military halt its "vicious crackdown". Also read | UN rights chief tells Myanmar military to 'stop murdering' protesters On Thursday, protesters hit the streets again in Yangon and Mandalay, the nation's two biggest cities, as well as other towns that have been hotspots for unrest. The junta has sought to hide its crackdown from the rest of the world, choking the internet and banning Facebook -- the most popular social media platform. Suu Kyi, 75, is reportedly being detained in Naypyidaw, the isolated capital that the military built during its previous, decades-long dictatorship.

Hope she gets a fair trial, Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer tells WION

Myanmar's military authorities have charged an Associated Press photographer and five other journalists over their coverage of anti-coup protests, their lawyer said on Wednesday.

AP photographer Thein Zaw, 32, was arrested on Saturday as he covered a demonstration in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon.&nbsp;

The country has been in uproar since February 1, when the army detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders, ending Myanmar's brief experiment with democracy and sparking protests far and wide.

Thein Zaw's lawyer said he and five other Myanmar journalists had been charged under a law against "causing fear, spreading false news or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee".

The junta amended the law last month, to increase the maximum sentence from two years to three years in jail.

"Ko Thein Zaw was simply reporting in line with press freedom law -- he wasn't protesting, he was just doing his work," the lawyer, Tin Zar Oo, said, adding that all six were being held at Insein prison in Yangon.

The United States, which has sharply criticized Myanmar's military for deposing the elected government, called for the journalists' release.

The United States is "forcefully making clear that it is unacceptable that journalists who are merely furthering their obligation to an informed citizenry are detained for undertaking that activity," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington.

The other five journalists are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online news and a freelancer, according to AP.

AP's vice-president of international news Ian Philips called for Thein Zaw's immediate release.

"Independent journalists must be allowed to freely and safely report the news without fear of retribution," he said.

"AP decries in the strongest terms the arbitrary detention of Thein Zaw."

Since the coup, authorities have steadily stepped up their tactics against anti-military protesters, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets, as well as isolated incidents of live rounds.

Wednesday was the bloodiest day since the military takeover, with the UN saying at least 38 people had died across the country. AFP counted at least 17 who were reportedly shot by security forces.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, more than 1,200 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 900 still behind bars or facing charges.

But the real number is likely far higher -- state-run media reported that on Sunday alone more than 1,300 people were arrested.&nbsp;

AAPP says that 34 journalists are among those detained, with 15 released so far.

"This repression is obstructing the flow of accurate information and news," AAPP said, adding that journalists were being subjected to "violent attacks" despite having clear credentials.

The most recent confirmed arrest came Monday, when a Myanmar journalist with broadcasting service Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) live-streamed a late-night raid on his home.

The footage -- posted on DVB's Facebook page -- appeared to show loud bangs outside his apartment building as he pleaded with authorities not to shoot.&nbsp;

Myanmar's military authorities have charged an Associated Press photographer and five other journalists over their coverage of anti-coup protests, their lawyer said on Wednesday.

Myanmar's military authorities have charged an Associated Press photographer and five other journalists over their coverage of anti-coup protests, their lawyer said on Wednesday. AP photographer Thein Zaw, 32, was arrested on Saturday as he covered a demonstration in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon. The country has been in uproar since February 1, when the army detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders, ending Myanmar's brief experiment with democracy and sparking protests far and wide. Thein Zaw's lawyer said he and five other Myanmar journalists had been charged under a law against "causing fear, spreading false news or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee". The junta amended the law last month, to increase the maximum sentence from two years to three years in jail. "Ko Thein Zaw was simply reporting in line with press freedom law -- he wasn't protesting, he was just doing his work," the lawyer, Tin Zar Oo, said, adding that all six were being held at Insein prison in Yangon. The United States, which has sharply criticized Myanmar's military for deposing the elected government, called for the journalists' release. The United States is "forcefully making clear that it is unacceptable that journalists who are merely furthering their obligation to an informed citizenry are detained for undertaking that activity," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington. The other five journalists are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online news and a freelancer, according to AP. AP's vice-president of international news Ian Philips called for Thein Zaw's immediate release. "Independent journalists must be allowed to freely and safely report the news without fear of retribution," he said. "AP decries in the strongest terms the arbitrary detention of Thein Zaw." Since the coup, authorities have steadily stepped up their tactics against anti-military protesters, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets, as well as isolated incidents of live rounds. Wednesday was the bloodiest day since the military takeover, with the UN saying at least 38 people had died across the country. AFP counted at least 17 who were reportedly shot by security forces. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, more than 1,200 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 900 still behind bars or facing charges. But the real number is likely far higher -- state-run media reported that on Sunday alone more than 1,300 people were arrested. AAPP says that 34 journalists are among those detained, with 15 released so far. "This repression is obstructing the flow of accurate information and news," AAPP said, adding that journalists were being subjected to "violent attacks" despite having clear credentials. The most recent confirmed arrest came Monday, when a Myanmar journalist with broadcasting service Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) live-streamed a late-night raid on his home. The footage -- posted on DVB's Facebook page -- appeared to show loud bangs outside his apartment building as he pleaded with authorities not to shoot.

Myanmar military charges six journalists over coverage of anti-coup protests

Ma Kyal Sin loved taekwondo, spicy food and a good red lipstick. She adopted the English name Angel, and her father hugged her goodbye when she went out on the streets of Mandalay, in central Myanmar, to join the crowds peacefully protesting the recent seizure of power by the military.

The black T-shirt that Kyal Sin wore to the protest Wednesday carried a simple message: “Everything will be OK.”

In the afternoon, Kyal Sin, 18, was shot in the head by the security forces, who killed at least 30 people nationwide in the single bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the United Nations.

“She is a hero for our country,” said Ma Cho Nwe Oo, one of Kyal Sin’s close friends, who has also taken part in the daily rallies that have electrified hundreds of cities across Myanmar. “By participating in the revolution, our generation of young women shows that we are no less brave than men.”

Despite the risks, women have stood at the forefront of Myanmar’s protest movement, sending a powerful rebuke to the generals who ousted a female civilian leader and reimposed a patriarchal order that has suppressed women for half a century.

By the hundreds of thousands, they have gathered for daily marches, representing striking unions of teachers, garment workers and medical workers — all sectors dominated by women. The youngest are often on the front lines, where the security forces appear to have singled them out. Two young women were shot in the head Wednesday and another near the heart, three bullets ending their lives.

Earlier this week, military television networks announced that the security forces were instructed not to use live ammunition, and that in self-defense they would only shoot at the lower body.

“We might lose some heroes in this revolution,” said Ma Sandar, an assistant general secretary of the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar, who has been taking part in the protests. “Our women’s blood is red.”

The violence on Wednesday, which brought the death toll since the coup to at least 54, reflected the brutality of a military accustomed to killing its most innocent people. At least three children have been gunned down over the past month, and the first death of the military’s post-coup crackdown was a 20-year-old woman shot in the head on Feb. 9.

In the weeks since the protests began, groups of female medical volunteers have patrolled the streets, tending to the wounded and dying. Women have added spine to a civil disobedience movement that is crippling the functioning of the state. And they have flouted gender stereotypes in a country where tradition holds that garments covering the lower half of the bodies of the two sexes should not be washed together, lest the female spirit act as a contaminant.

With defiant creativity, people have strung up clotheslines of women’s sarongs, called htamein, to protect protest zones, knowing that some men are loath to walk under them. Others have affixed images of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who orchestrated the coup, to the hanging htamein, an affront to his virility.

“Young women are now leading the protests because we have a maternal nature and we can’t let the next generation be destroyed,” said Dr. Yin Yin Hnoung, a 28-year-old medical doctor who has dodged bullets in Mandalay. “We don’t care about our lives. We care about our future generations.”

While the military’s inhumanity extends to many of the country’s roughly 55 million people, women have the most to lose from the generals’ resumption of full authority, after five years of sharing power with a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The Tatmadaw, as the military is known, is deeply conservative, opining in official communications about the importance of modest dress for proper ladies.

There are no women in the Tatmadaw’s senior ranks, and its soldiers have systematically committed gang rape against women from ethnic minorities, according to investigations by the U.N. In the generals’ worldview, women are often considered weak and impure. Traditional religious hierarchies in this predominantly Buddhist nation also place women at the feet of men.

The prejudices of the military and the monastery are not necessarily shared by Myanmar’s broader society. Women are educated and integral to the economy, particularly in business, manufacturing and the civil service. Increasingly, women have found their political voice. In elections last November, about 20% of candidates for the National League for Democracy, Suu Kyi’s party, were women.

The party won in a landslide, trouncing the military-linked and far more male-dominated Union Solidarity and Development Party. The Tatmadaw has dismissed the results as fraudulent.

As the military began devolving some power over the past decade, Myanmar experienced one of the most profound and rapid societal changes in the world. A country that was once forcibly bunkered by the generals, who first seized power in a 1962 coup, went on Facebook and discovered memes, emojis and global conversations about gender politics.

“Even though these are dark days and my heart breaks with all these images of bloodshed, I’m more optimistic because I see women on the street,” said Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd, a Burmese-American who served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and is now a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. “In this contest, I will put money on the women. They are unarmed, but they are the true warriors.”

That passion has ignited across the country, despite Tatmadaw crackdowns in past decades that have killed hundreds of people.

“Women took the frontier position in the fight against dictatorship because we believe it is our cause,” said Ma Ei Thinzar Maung, a 27-year-old politician and former political prisoner who, along with another woman the same age, led the first anti-coup demonstration in Yangon five days after the putsch.

Both Ei Thinzar Maung and her fellow rally leader, Esther Ze Naw, protest by day and hide by night. About 1,500 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a local monitoring group.

The pair were politicized at a young age and spoke up for the rights of ethnic minorities at a time when most people in Myanmar were unwilling to acknowledge the military’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims. At least one-third of Myanmar’s population is made up of a constellation of ethnic minorities, some of which are in armed conflict with the military.

When they led their rally on Feb. 6, the two women marched in shirts associated with the Karen ethnic group, whose villages have been overrun by Tatmadaw troops in recent days. Esther Ze Naw is from another minority, the Kachin, and as a 17-year-old she spent time in camps for the tens of thousands of civilians who were uprooted by Tatmadaw offensives. Military jets roared overhead, raining artillery on women and children, she recalled.

“That was the time I committed myself to working toward abolishing the military junta,” she said. “Minorities know what it feels like, where discrimination leads. And as a woman, we are still considered as a second sex.”

“That must be one of the reasons why women activists seem more committed to rights issues,” she added.

While the National League for Democracy is led by Suu Kyi, its top ranks are dominated by men. And like the Tatmadaw, the party’s highest echelons have tended to be reserved for members of the country’s ethnic Bamar majority.

On the streets of Myanmar, even as the security forces continue to fire at unarmed protesters, the makeup of the movement has been far more diverse. There are Muslim students, Catholic nuns, Buddhist monks, drag queens and a legion of young women.

“Gen Z are a fearless generation,” said Honey Aung, whose younger sister, Kyawt Nandar Aung, was killed by a bullet to the head on Wednesday in the city of Monywa. “My sister joined the protests every day. She hated dictatorship.”

In a speech that ran in a state propaganda publication earlier this week, Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief, sniffed at the impropriety of the protesters, with their “indecent clothes contrary to Myanmar culture.” His definition is commonly considered to include women wearing trousers.

Moments before she was shot dead, Kyal Sin, dressed in sneakers and torn jeans, rallied her fellow peaceful protesters.

As they staggered from the tear gas fired by security forces on Wednesday, Kyal Sin dispensed water to cleanse their eyes. “We are not going to run,” she yelled, in a video recorded by another protester. “Our people’s blood should not reach the ground.”

“She is the bravest girl I have ever seen in my life,” said Ko Lu Maw, who photographed some of the final images of Kyal Sin, in an alert, proud pose amid a crowd of prostrate protesters.

Under her T-shirt, Kyal Sin wore a star-shaped pendant because her name means “pure star” in Burmese.

“She would say, ‘if you see a star, remember, that’s me,’” said Cho Nwe Oo, her friend. “I will always remember her proudly.”

Ma Kyal Sin loved taekwondo, spicy food and a good red lipstick. She adopted the English name Angel, and her father hugged her goodbye when she went out on the streets of Mandalay, in central Myanmar, to join the crowds peacefully protesting the recent seizure of power by the military.

Ma Kyal Sin loved taekwondo, spicy food and a good red lipstick. She adopted the English name Angel, and her father hugged her goodbye when she went out on the streets of Mandalay, in central Myanmar, to join the crowds peacefully protesting the recent seizure of power by the military. The black T-shirt that Kyal Sin wore to the protest Wednesday carried a simple message: “Everything will be OK.” In the afternoon, Kyal Sin, 18, was shot in the head by the security forces, who killed at least 30 people nationwide in the single bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the United Nations. “She is a hero for our country,” said Ma Cho Nwe Oo, one of Kyal Sin’s close friends, who has also taken part in the daily rallies that have electrified hundreds of cities across Myanmar. “By participating in the revolution, our generation of young women shows that we are no less brave than men.” Despite the risks, women have stood at the forefront of Myanmar’s protest movement, sending a powerful rebuke to the generals who ousted a female civilian leader and reimposed a patriarchal order that has suppressed women for half a century. By the hundreds of thousands, they have gathered for daily marches, representing striking unions of teachers, garment workers and medical workers — all sectors dominated by women. The youngest are often on the front lines, where the security forces appear to have singled them out. Two young women were shot in the head Wednesday and another near the heart, three bullets ending their lives. Earlier this week, military television networks announced that the security forces were instructed not to use live ammunition, and that in self-defense they would only shoot at the lower body. “We might lose some heroes in this revolution,” said Ma Sandar, an assistant general secretary of the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar, who has been taking part in the protests. “Our women’s blood is red.” The violence on Wednesday, which brought the death toll since the coup to at least 54, reflected the brutality of a military accustomed to killing its most innocent people. At least three children have been gunned down over the past month, and the first death of the military’s post-coup crackdown was a 20-year-old woman shot in the head on Feb. 9. In the weeks since the protests began, groups of female medical volunteers have patrolled the streets, tending to the wounded and dying. Women have added spine to a civil disobedience movement that is crippling the functioning of the state. And they have flouted gender stereotypes in a country where tradition holds that garments covering the lower half of the bodies of the two sexes should not be washed together, lest the female spirit act as a contaminant. With defiant creativity, people have strung up clotheslines of women’s sarongs, called htamein, to protect protest zones, knowing that some men are loath to walk under them. Others have affixed images of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who orchestrated the coup, to the hanging htamein, an affront to his virility. “Young women are now leading the protests because we have a maternal nature and we can’t let the next generation be destroyed,” said Dr. Yin Yin Hnoung, a 28-year-old medical doctor who has dodged bullets in Mandalay. “We don’t care about our lives. We care about our future generations.” While the military’s inhumanity extends to many of the country’s roughly 55 million people, women have the most to lose from the generals’ resumption of full authority, after five years of sharing power with a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The Tatmadaw, as the military is known, is deeply conservative, opining in official communications about the importance of modest dress for proper ladies. There are no women in the Tatmadaw’s senior ranks, and its soldiers have systematically committed gang rape against women from ethnic minorities, according to investigations by the U.N. In the generals’ worldview, women are often considered weak and impure. Traditional religious hierarchies in this predominantly Buddhist nation also place women at the feet of men. The prejudices of the military and the monastery are not necessarily shared by Myanmar’s broader society. Women are educated and integral to the economy, particularly in business, manufacturing and the civil service. Increasingly, women have found their political voice. In elections last November, about 20% of candidates for the National League for Democracy, Suu Kyi’s party, were women. The party won in a landslide, trouncing the military-linked and far more male-dominated Union Solidarity and Development Party. The Tatmadaw has dismissed the results as fraudulent. As the military began devolving some power over the past decade, Myanmar experienced one of the most profound and rapid societal changes in the world. A country that was once forcibly bunkered by the generals, who first seized power in a 1962 coup, went on Facebook and discovered memes, emojis and global conversations about gender politics. “Even though these are dark days and my heart breaks with all these images of bloodshed, I’m more optimistic because I see women on the street,” said Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd, a Burmese-American who served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and is now a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. “In this contest, I will put money on the women. They are unarmed, but they are the true warriors.” That passion has ignited across the country, despite Tatmadaw crackdowns in past decades that have killed hundreds of people. “Women took the frontier position in the fight against dictatorship because we believe it is our cause,” said Ma Ei Thinzar Maung, a 27-year-old politician and former political prisoner who, along with another woman the same age, led the first anti-coup demonstration in Yangon five days after the putsch. Both Ei Thinzar Maung and her fellow rally leader, Esther Ze Naw, protest by day and hide by night. About 1,500 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a local monitoring group. The pair were politicized at a young age and spoke up for the rights of ethnic minorities at a time when most people in Myanmar were unwilling to acknowledge the military’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims. At least one-third of Myanmar’s population is made up of a constellation of ethnic minorities, some of which are in armed conflict with the military. When they led their rally on Feb. 6, the two women marched in shirts associated with the Karen ethnic group, whose villages have been overrun by Tatmadaw troops in recent days. Esther Ze Naw is from another minority, the Kachin, and as a 17-year-old she spent time in camps for the tens of thousands of civilians who were uprooted by Tatmadaw offensives. Military jets roared overhead, raining artillery on women and children, she recalled. “That was the time I committed myself to working toward abolishing the military junta,” she said. “Minorities know what it feels like, where discrimination leads. And as a woman, we are still considered as a second sex.” “That must be one of the reasons why women activists seem more committed to rights issues,” she added. While the National League for Democracy is led by Suu Kyi, its top ranks are dominated by men. And like the Tatmadaw, the party’s highest echelons have tended to be reserved for members of the country’s ethnic Bamar majority. On the streets of Myanmar, even as the security forces continue to fire at unarmed protesters, the makeup of the movement has been far more diverse. There are Muslim students, Catholic nuns, Buddhist monks, drag queens and a legion of young women. “Gen Z are a fearless generation,” said Honey Aung, whose younger sister, Kyawt Nandar Aung, was killed by a bullet to the head on Wednesday in the city of Monywa. “My sister joined the protests every day. She hated dictatorship.” In a speech that ran in a state propaganda publication earlier this week, Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief, sniffed at the impropriety of the protesters, with their “indecent clothes contrary to Myanmar culture.” His definition is commonly considered to include women wearing trousers. Moments before she was shot dead, Kyal Sin, dressed in sneakers and torn jeans, rallied her fellow peaceful protesters. As they staggered from the tear gas fired by security forces on Wednesday, Kyal Sin dispensed water to cleanse their eyes. “We are not going to run,” she yelled, in a video recorded by another protester. “Our people’s blood should not reach the ground.” “She is the bravest girl I have ever seen in my life,” said Ko Lu Maw, who photographed some of the final images of Kyal Sin, in an alert, proud pose amid a crowd of prostrate protesters. Under her T-shirt, Kyal Sin wore a star-shaped pendant because her name means “pure star” in Burmese. “She would say, ‘if you see a star, remember, that’s me,’” said Cho Nwe Oo, her friend. “I will always remember her proudly.”

‘She is a hero’: In Myanmar’s protests, women are on the front lines

International criticism against Myanmar military junta got fiercer on a day that was the bloodiest so far amid pro-democracy protests in the country. United Nations said that at least 38 deaths occurred on Wednesday ( March 3). This has brought the death toll to 50. Myanmar has been on the boil ever since military junta toppled civilian government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. The daily protests have seen a brutal response from the military lately who is violently cracking down against nationwide protests.

"Only today, 38 people died," UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters on Wednesday. She added that many more have been wounded.

The criticism is growing.

Western powers have repeatedly hit the generals with sanctions, Britain has called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, and after Wednesday's deaths, the United States said it was considering further action.

But the junta has so far ignored the global condemnation, responding to the uprising with escalating strength.

Myanmar violence left the US "appalled and revulsed".&nbsp;

"We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," said US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.

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France called for "the immediate end of the repression in Myanmar", and release of all those who are detained.

"We are by your side," Macron tweeted

Even Pope Francis expressed his displeasure over what was happening in Myanmar. He renewed his call for release of political prisoners and said that hopes of the people of Myanmar could not be 'suffocated by violence

Journalists charged

Wednesday's violence came on the heels of news that six Myanmar journalists would be charged under a law prohibiting "causing fear, spreading false news, or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee", according to their lawyer Tin Zar Oo.&nbsp;

Among them is Associated Press photographer Thein Zaw, who was arrested Saturday as he covered an anti-coup demonstration in Yangon. Video emerged on Wednesday of him being held in a chokehold by police as he was handcuffed.

The other five are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online News and a freelancer. They face up to three years in jail.&nbsp;

The United States called for their release and was "forcefully making clear" that their detention was "unacceptable," Price said.

(With AFP inputs)

International criticism against Myanmar military junta got fiercer on a day that was the bloodiest so far amid pro-democracy protests in the country. United Nations said that at least 38 deaths occurred on Wednesday ( March 3).

International criticism against Myanmar military junta got fiercer on a day that was the bloodiest so far amid pro-democracy protests in the country. United Nations said that at least 38 deaths occurred on Wednesday ( March 3). This has brought the death toll to 50. Myanmar has been on the boil ever since military junta toppled civilian government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. The daily protests have seen a brutal response from the military lately who is violently cracking down against nationwide protests. "Only today, 38 people died," UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters on Wednesday. She added that many more have been wounded. The criticism is growing. Western powers have repeatedly hit the generals with sanctions, Britain has called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, and after Wednesday's deaths, the United States said it was considering further action. But the junta has so far ignored the global condemnation, responding to the uprising with escalating strength. Myanmar violence left the US "appalled and revulsed". "We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," said US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price. × France called for "the immediate end of the repression in Myanmar", and release of all those who are detained. "We are by your side," Macron tweeted Even Pope Francis expressed his displeasure over what was happening in Myanmar. He renewed his call for release of political prisoners and said that hopes of the people of Myanmar could not be 'suffocated by violence Journalists charged Wednesday's violence came on the heels of news that six Myanmar journalists would be charged under a law prohibiting "causing fear, spreading false news, or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee", according to their lawyer Tin Zar Oo. Among them is Associated Press photographer Thein Zaw, who was arrested Saturday as he covered an anti-coup demonstration in Yangon. Video emerged on Wednesday of him being held in a chokehold by police as he was handcuffed. The other five are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online News and a freelancer. They face up to three years in jail. The United States called for their release and was "forcefully making clear" that their detention was "unacceptable," Price said. (With AFP inputs)

US condemns 'brutal violence' by Myanmar military after 38 deaths in clashes

Myanmar Army soldiers are now openly issuing death threats to protesters through social media platforms like TikTok. WION's Palki Sharma asks: Why is hate being allowed to flow?

Gravitas: Myanmar soldiers threaten protesters

19 Myanmar police officers have crossed over the border into northeastern India to escape taking orders from a military junta that is trying to suppress protests against last month's coup, an Indian police official said on Thursday.

The men crossed into Champai and Serchhip, two districts in the northeastern state of Mizoram that share a porous border with Myanmar, the official said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

All the men, who are lower-ranking policemen, were unarmed, the official said. “We are expecting more (people) to come,” he said, citing intelligence reports.

India shares a 1,643-kilometre (1020-mile) land border with Myanmar, where at least 54 people have been killed since a February 1 coup.

The junta overthrew a democratically-elected government, and detained its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, having disputed her party's landslide victory in November.

The junta justified its coup by making unfounded allegations that Suu Kyi's party rigged the election.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, 75, is reportedly being detained in Naypyidaw, the isolated capital that the military built during its previous, decades-long dictatorship.

The bloody Wednesday violence left the United States "appalled and revulsed," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

"We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," he said, referring to the country by its former name.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "immediate end of the repression in Myanmar".

(With inputs from agencies)

19 Myanmar police officers have crossed over the border into northeastern India to escape taking orders from a military junta that is trying to suppress protests against last month's coup, an Indian police official said on Thursday.

19 Myanmar police officers have crossed over the border into northeastern India to escape taking orders from a military junta that is trying to suppress protests against last month's coup, an Indian police official said on Thursday. The men crossed into Champai and Serchhip, two districts in the northeastern state of Mizoram that share a porous border with Myanmar, the official said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. All the men, who are lower-ranking policemen, were unarmed, the official said. “We are expecting more (people) to come,” he said, citing intelligence reports. India shares a 1,643-kilometre (1020-mile) land border with Myanmar, where at least 54 people have been killed since a February 1 coup. The junta overthrew a democratically-elected government, and detained its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, having disputed her party's landslide victory in November. The junta justified its coup by making unfounded allegations that Suu Kyi's party rigged the election. Suu Kyi, 75, is reportedly being detained in Naypyidaw, the isolated capital that the military built during its previous, decades-long dictatorship. The bloody Wednesday violence left the United States "appalled and revulsed," State Department spokesman Ned Price said. "We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," he said, referring to the country by its former name. French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "immediate end of the repression in Myanmar". (With inputs from agencies)

19 Myanmar police officers seek refuge in India rather than carry out junta's orders

At least 54 people have been killed and over 1,700 detained since Myanmar's February 1 coup, the UN rights chief said Thursday, demanding that the military halt its "vicious crackdown".

The comments come after the deadliest day of protests in Myanmar, with at least 38 dead Wednesday in rallies where security forces were seen firing into crowds.&nbsp;

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet urged security forces to "halt their vicious crackdown on peaceful protesters".

"Myanmar's military must stop murdering and jailing protesters," she said in a statement.

"It is utterly abhorrent that security forces are firing live ammunition against peaceful protesters across the country," she added.

Bachelet added that she was "also appalled at the documented attacks against emergency medical staff and ambulances attempting to provide care to those who have been injured".

The UN rights office said it had corroborated information that at least 54 people had been killed by police and military officers since February 1.

"The actual death toll, however, could be much higher as these are the figures the office has been able to verify," it stressed.

The killings have escalated sharply in recent days.

The rights office had verified 30 of the 38 deaths reported by other UN entities on Wednesday, saying the killings by security forces had taken place in Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing, Magway and Mon.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-military-charges-six-journalists-over-coverage-of-anti-coup-protests-367849">Also read |&nbsp;Myanmar military charges six journalists over coverage of anti-coup protests</a>

"Many of the arbitrary arrests and detentions that have been carried out since February 1 may constitute enforced disappearances," Bachelet warned, calling for the immediate release of all those who remain arbitrarily detained.

She also expressed alarm at the targeting of media workers, with at least 29 journalists arrested in recent days, eight of whom had been charged with crimes, including inciting opposition or hatred of the government and attending unlawful assemblies.

"I urge all those with information and influence... to support international efforts to hold military leaders accountable for the serious human rights violations that have been committed both now and in the past," Bachelet said.

"This is the moment to turn the tables towards justice and end the military's stranglehold over democracy in Myanmar."

Also on Thursday, defiant anti-coup protesters returned to cities and towns across Myanmar after dozens of people were killed in the deadliest day of the junta's crackdown, with global powers condemning the "brutal violence".

At least 38 people died on Wednesday, according to the United Nations, when online images streamed out of Myanmar showing security forces firing into crowds and blood-covered bodies of protesters with bullet wounds in their heads.

Myanmar's military staged its coup on February 1, ending a decade-long experiment with democracy and triggering a mass uprising that the junta has increasingly sought to quash with lethal force.

More than 50 people have been killed since the military takeover, UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters.

On Thursday, protesters hit the streets again in Yangon and Mandalay, the nation's two biggest cities, as well as other towns that have been hotspots for unrest.

The junta has sought to hide its crackdown from the rest of the world, choking the internet and banning Facebook -- the most popular social media platform.

Six journalists were also arrested on the weekend and charged under a law prohibiting "causing fear, spreading false news, or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee", according to their lawyer Tin Zar Oo.

One of the first people detained at the start of the coup was Aung San Suu Kyi, the head of the civilian government and a heroine for most people in Myanmar for leading the resistance against the previous dictatorship.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won elections in November last year by a landslide, a result that set the stage for the military's influence to be potentially diluted.

The junta justified its coup by making unfounded allegations that Suu Kyi's party rigged the election.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, 75, is reportedly being detained in Naypyidaw, the isolated capital that the military built during its previous, decades-long dictatorship.

The bloody Wednesday violence left the United States "appalled and revulsed," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

"We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," he said, referring to the country by its former name.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "immediate end of the repression in Myanmar".

(with inputs from agencies)

At least 54 people have been killed and over 1,700 detained since Myanmar's February 1 coup, the UN rights chief said Thursday, demanding that the military halt its "vicious crackdown".

At least 54 people have been killed and over 1,700 detained since Myanmar's February 1 coup, the UN rights chief said Thursday, demanding that the military halt its "vicious crackdown". The comments come after the deadliest day of protests in Myanmar, with at least 38 dead Wednesday in rallies where security forces were seen firing into crowds. UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet urged security forces to "halt their vicious crackdown on peaceful protesters". "Myanmar's military must stop murdering and jailing protesters," she said in a statement. "It is utterly abhorrent that security forces are firing live ammunition against peaceful protesters across the country," she added. Bachelet added that she was "also appalled at the documented attacks against emergency medical staff and ambulances attempting to provide care to those who have been injured". The UN rights office said it had corroborated information that at least 54 people had been killed by police and military officers since February 1. "The actual death toll, however, could be much higher as these are the figures the office has been able to verify," it stressed. The killings have escalated sharply in recent days. The rights office had verified 30 of the 38 deaths reported by other UN entities on Wednesday, saying the killings by security forces had taken place in Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing, Magway and Mon. Also read | Myanmar military charges six journalists over coverage of anti-coup protests "Many of the arbitrary arrests and detentions that have been carried out since February 1 may constitute enforced disappearances," Bachelet warned, calling for the immediate release of all those who remain arbitrarily detained. She also expressed alarm at the targeting of media workers, with at least 29 journalists arrested in recent days, eight of whom had been charged with crimes, including inciting opposition or hatred of the government and attending unlawful assemblies. "I urge all those with information and influence... to support international efforts to hold military leaders accountable for the serious human rights violations that have been committed both now and in the past," Bachelet said. "This is the moment to turn the tables towards justice and end the military's stranglehold over democracy in Myanmar." Also on Thursday, defiant anti-coup protesters returned to cities and towns across Myanmar after dozens of people were killed in the deadliest day of the junta's crackdown, with global powers condemning the "brutal violence". At least 38 people died on Wednesday, according to the United Nations, when online images streamed out of Myanmar showing security forces firing into crowds and blood-covered bodies of protesters with bullet wounds in their heads. Myanmar's military staged its coup on February 1, ending a decade-long experiment with democracy and triggering a mass uprising that the junta has increasingly sought to quash with lethal force. More than 50 people have been killed since the military takeover, UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters. On Thursday, protesters hit the streets again in Yangon and Mandalay, the nation's two biggest cities, as well as other towns that have been hotspots for unrest. The junta has sought to hide its crackdown from the rest of the world, choking the internet and banning Facebook -- the most popular social media platform. Six journalists were also arrested on the weekend and charged under a law prohibiting "causing fear, spreading false news, or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee", according to their lawyer Tin Zar Oo. One of the first people detained at the start of the coup was Aung San Suu Kyi, the head of the civilian government and a heroine for most people in Myanmar for leading the resistance against the previous dictatorship. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won elections in November last year by a landslide, a result that set the stage for the military's influence to be potentially diluted. The junta justified its coup by making unfounded allegations that Suu Kyi's party rigged the election. Suu Kyi, 75, is reportedly being detained in Naypyidaw, the isolated capital that the military built during its previous, decades-long dictatorship. The bloody Wednesday violence left the United States "appalled and revulsed," State Department spokesman Ned Price said. "We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," he said, referring to the country by its former name. French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "immediate end of the repression in Myanmar". (with inputs from agencies)

UN rights chief tells Myanmar military to 'stop murdering' protesters

Military coup protests in Myanmar has seen their deadliest day with 38 deaths reported. Myanmar police have also stepped up from immediate action and crackdown. The total number of fatalities in protests has risen to 50 till now.

Myanmar Update: At least 38 killed in the deadliest day of protests

Protests rage in Myanmar on a day 38 die

Over the weekend, Myanmar's military opened fire on innocent protesters, leading to the deaths of 18. The junta's crackdown shed light on the extent to which the military is ready to sustain the coup, and how it operates&nbsp;with impunity. 
 
Now, they are openly issuing death threats through TikTok. Videos of soldiers dressed in military fatigues showing off their automatic weapons and bullets while issuing&nbsp;threats to protesters are going viral on the Chinese app.

While the identities of soldiers in clips have not been verified, an activist claims that there are over 800 such videos on social media with soldiers of the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's armed forces. They openly threatened violence against peaceful protesters. In a clip, two soldiers pointed their rifles at the camera. In another clip, a soldier threatened protesters with his gun. Another went a step further to show that his gun was loaded with real bullets, and not rubber shots.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/18-die-as-cops-shoot-protesters-in-tiananmen-square-like-myanmar-suppression-367700" hreflang="en">18 die as cops shoot protesters in Tiananmen Square-like Myanmar suppression</a>

The videos are circulating freely on TikTok, a Chinese social media platform that was banned in India last year. In Myanmar, TikTok serving threats from the military to the peaceful protesters. While social media giant Facebook banned Myanmar's military, TikTok is allowing the soldiers to openly threaten protesters.

According to a report, rights activists and journalists have found several clips like these on TikTok, and are demanding a complete takedown. In a statement to a news website, TikTok said it doesn't allow content that incites violence. But it didn't comment on the videos by the soldiers directly.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/myanmars-junta-using-digital-weapons-arsenal-against-protesters-367510" hreflang="en">'Myanmar's junta using digital weapons’ arsenal against protesters'</a> 
 
In a clip shot by a local in Monywa, security forces could be seen dragging the protesters, with streets covered in blood. On Wednesday, at least seven people died across Myanmar. In the crackdown by the military junta, around 30 have been killed since the ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi. The violence, along with the clips on TikTok shows how brazenly the military is killing Myanmar's fragile democracy.

Over the weekend, Myanmar's military opened fire on innocent protesters, leading to the deaths of 18. The junta's crackdown shed light on the extent to which the military is ready to sustain the coup, and how it operates with impunity.

Over the weekend, Myanmar's military opened fire on innocent protesters, leading to the deaths of 18. The junta's crackdown shed light on the extent to which the military is ready to sustain the coup, and how it operates with impunity. Now, they are openly issuing death threats through TikTok. Videos of soldiers dressed in military fatigues showing off their automatic weapons and bullets while issuing threats to protesters are going viral on the Chinese app. While the identities of soldiers in clips have not been verified, an activist claims that there are over 800 such videos on social media with soldiers of the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's armed forces. They openly threatened violence against peaceful protesters. In a clip, two soldiers pointed their rifles at the camera. In another clip, a soldier threatened protesters with his gun. Another went a step further to show that his gun was loaded with real bullets, and not rubber shots. Also read: 18 die as cops shoot protesters in Tiananmen Square-like Myanmar suppression The videos are circulating freely on TikTok, a Chinese social media platform that was banned in India last year. In Myanmar, TikTok serving threats from the military to the peaceful protesters. While social media giant Facebook banned Myanmar's military, TikTok is allowing the soldiers to openly threaten protesters. According to a report, rights activists and journalists have found several clips like these on TikTok, and are demanding a complete takedown. In a statement to a news website, TikTok said it doesn't allow content that incites violence. But it didn't comment on the videos by the soldiers directly. Also read: 'Myanmar's junta using digital weapons’ arsenal against protesters' In a clip shot by a local in Monywa, security forces could be seen dragging the protesters, with streets covered in blood. On Wednesday, at least seven people died across Myanmar. In the crackdown by the military junta, around 30 have been killed since the ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi. The violence, along with the clips on TikTok shows how brazenly the military is killing Myanmar's fragile democracy.

Online threats by Myanmar's military shed light on impunity enjoyed by armed forces

The Association of South-East Asian Nations held a virtual meet over the Myanmar crisis. Myanmar's neighbours have pressed the military to release the Aung San Suu Kyi.

ASEAN nations call for Aung San Suu Kyi's release

Myanmar security forces opened fire on protesters against military rule on Wednesday, killing 18 people, witnesses and media reported, a day after neighbouring countries called for restraint and offered to help Myanmar resolve the crisis.&nbsp;

The security forces resorted to live fire with little warning in several towns and cities, witnesses said, as the junta appeared more determined than ever to stamp out protests against a February 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.&nbsp;

"They marched towards us and fired tear gas, marched again and used stun grenades," Si Thu Maung, a protest leader in the central town of Myingyan, said.&nbsp;

"Then they didn't spray us with water cannon, no warning to disperse, they just fired their guns."&nbsp;

A spokesman for the ruling military council did not answer telephone calls seeking comment.&nbsp;

One teenaged boy was killed in Myingyan but the heaviest toll was in another central town, Monywa, where five people - four men and one woman - were killed, said Ko Thit Sar, editor of the Monywa Gazette.&nbsp;

"We've confirmed with family members and doctors, five people have been killed," he said.&nbsp;

"At least 30 people are wounded, some still unconscious."&nbsp;

Two people were killed in the country's second-biggest city Mandalay, a witness and media reports said, and one person was killed when police opened fire in the main city of Yangon, a witness there said.&nbsp;

At least 31 people have been killed since the coup.&nbsp;

"The country is like the Tiananmen Square in most of its major cities," the Archbishop of Yangon, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, said on Twitter, alluding to the suppression of student-led protests in Beijing in 1989.&nbsp;

The violence came a day after foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbours urged restraint but failed to unite behind a call for the release Suu Kyi and the restoration of democracy.&nbsp;

Security forces also detained about 300 protesters as they broke up protests in Yangon, the Myanmar Now news agency reported.&nbsp;

Myanmar security forces opened fire on protesters against military rule on Wednesday, killing 18 people, witnesses and media reported, a day after neighbouring countries called for restraint and offered to help Myanmar resolve the crisis.

Myanmar security forces opened fire on protesters against military rule on Wednesday, killing 18 people, witnesses and media reported, a day after neighbouring countries called for restraint and offered to help Myanmar resolve the crisis. The security forces resorted to live fire with little warning in several towns and cities, witnesses said, as the junta appeared more determined than ever to stamp out protests against a February 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. "They marched towards us and fired tear gas, marched again and used stun grenades," Si Thu Maung, a protest leader in the central town of Myingyan, said. "Then they didn't spray us with water cannon, no warning to disperse, they just fired their guns." A spokesman for the ruling military council did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. One teenaged boy was killed in Myingyan but the heaviest toll was in another central town, Monywa, where five people - four men and one woman - were killed, said Ko Thit Sar, editor of the Monywa Gazette. "We've confirmed with family members and doctors, five people have been killed," he said. "At least 30 people are wounded, some still unconscious." Two people were killed in the country's second-biggest city Mandalay, a witness and media reports said, and one person was killed when police opened fire in the main city of Yangon, a witness there said. At least 31 people have been killed since the coup. "The country is like the Tiananmen Square in most of its major cities," the Archbishop of Yangon, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, said on Twitter, alluding to the suppression of student-led protests in Beijing in 1989. The violence came a day after foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbours urged restraint but failed to unite behind a call for the release Suu Kyi and the restoration of democracy. Security forces also detained about 300 protesters as they broke up protests in Yangon, the Myanmar Now news agency reported.

18 die as cops shoot protesters in Tiananmen Square-like Myanmar suppression

The military has been controlling Myanmar for a month now. After a slow start, the pro-democracy protests have strengthened. Thousands of citizens have been taking to the streets. They have dug their heels and have refused to withdraw. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Over the weekend, the military resorted to lethal force and opened fire on the protesters, killing 18. The crackdown is increasingly getting violent and fierce and the military junta is now said to be deploying more sophisticated tools to sustain this coup. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A group of activists is now claiming that Myanmar's military and security forces have an arsenal of digital weapons. They are allegedly being used in the crackdown against peaceful protesters. What are these digital weapons? And what can they do?&nbsp;

The list of tools is rather long. They were bought by the Myanmar government in recent years. Bulk of the technology came from the West but now these tools have fallen into the hands of the military.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-myanmars-military-deploys-digital-weapons-against-opponents-367515">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-myanmars-military-deploys-digital-weapons-against-opponents-367515/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to this activist group, the Myanmar's military can hack passwords, clone phones, track signals, gather social media intelligence, analyse photographs, and process large amounts of data.&nbsp;

A report shines light on what these kinds of tools can really do. It claims that Myanmar's military has surveillance drones in its arsenal.&nbsp;

They have devices to crack iPhones and software that can hack into computers and steal content. Reportedly in the last two fiscal years, tens of millions of dollars were earmarked for these technologies that can mine computers, track the live locations of people and listen to their conversations.&nbsp;

The United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar has called for a global arms embargo. The special rapporteur alongside the deputy high commissioner for human rights supported the idea of targeted sanctions too.&nbsp;

Nearly 140 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from 31 countries have signed an open letter. It calls on the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar but there is no consensus yet on the world stage.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the military continues to strengthen its hand with laws that give it more powers like the cyber security bill. &nbsp;

This proposed law would require internet service providers to store user data at a location identified by the government for three years, allow the military junta access to the personal data of users and force the removal of any content on demand. Several human rights groups have called the cyber security bill draconian. With such laws and the violent crackdown against the protesters, Myanmar's military has painted a target on its back.&nbsp;

It is now the focus of targeted sanctions by the West. The United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have implemented 'smart sanctions'. Reportedly, this is an attempt to 'squeeze the military' and its business interests, making it harder for the junta to conduct business with the West and other countries in the region could be mulling similar moves.&nbsp;

The military has been controlling Myanmar for a month now. After a slow start, the pro-democracy protests have strengthened. Thousands of citizens have been taking to the streets.

The military has been controlling Myanmar for a month now. After a slow start, the pro-democracy protests have strengthened. Thousands of citizens have been taking to the streets. They have dug their heels and have refused to withdraw. Over the weekend, the military resorted to lethal force and opened fire on the protesters, killing 18. The crackdown is increasingly getting violent and fierce and the military junta is now said to be deploying more sophisticated tools to sustain this coup. A group of activists is now claiming that Myanmar's military and security forces have an arsenal of digital weapons. They are allegedly being used in the crackdown against peaceful protesters. What are these digital weapons? And what can they do? The list of tools is rather long. They were bought by the Myanmar government in recent years. Bulk of the technology came from the West but now these tools have fallen into the hands of the military. WATCH | According to this activist group, the Myanmar's military can hack passwords, clone phones, track signals, gather social media intelligence, analyse photographs, and process large amounts of data. A report shines light on what these kinds of tools can really do. It claims that Myanmar's military has surveillance drones in its arsenal. They have devices to crack iPhones and software that can hack into computers and steal content. Reportedly in the last two fiscal years, tens of millions of dollars were earmarked for these technologies that can mine computers, track the live locations of people and listen to their conversations. The United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar has called for a global arms embargo. The special rapporteur alongside the deputy high commissioner for human rights supported the idea of targeted sanctions too. Nearly 140 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from 31 countries have signed an open letter. It calls on the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar but there is no consensus yet on the world stage. Meanwhile, the military continues to strengthen its hand with laws that give it more powers like the cyber security bill. This proposed law would require internet service providers to store user data at a location identified by the government for three years, allow the military junta access to the personal data of users and force the removal of any content on demand. Several human rights groups have called the cyber security bill draconian. With such laws and the violent crackdown against the protesters, Myanmar's military has painted a target on its back. It is now the focus of targeted sanctions by the West. The United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have implemented 'smart sanctions'. Reportedly, this is an attempt to 'squeeze the military' and its business interests, making it harder for the junta to conduct business with the West and other countries in the region could be mulling similar moves.

'Myanmar's junta using digital weapons’ arsenal against protesters'

Global pressure is mounting on Myanmar Army. From U.S. to UK to ASEAN, the world is condemning the 'brutal' military crackdown.

Gravitas: Global pressure mounts on Myanmar Army

A rights group has claimed Myanmar's military is using 'digital weapons' in its brutal crackdown against the protesters. These tools allegedly can hack passwords, clone phones and snoop on people.

Gravitas: Myanmar's military deploys 'digital weapons' against opponents

Pope Francis said on Wednesday the hopes of the people of Myanmar cannot be 'suffocated by violence' and again called for the release of political prisoners.&nbsp;

At least 30 people have been killed since a coup on February 1. The Pope, who visited Myanmar in 2017, made his comments at the end of his general audience at&nbsp;the Vatican.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a former United Nations expert on the country on Wednesday urged foreign firms to suspend all business activity in Myanmar to send a clear message to the military that its coup will hurt its people and ruin its economy.&nbsp;

Chris Sidoti was part of an UN-led fact-finding mission, which in 2019 urged foreign firms to cut business ties with Myanmar's military over human rights abuses and pursue private sector investments there instead.&nbsp;

That position has hardened since a February 1 coup and an ensuing bloody crackdown on protesters, Sidoti said, because the military has retaken control of the country it ruled for almost half a century, making it now risky to do any business there.&nbsp;

"If businesses are responsible, they will put everything on hold at this point," said Sidoti, who has formed an independent advisory group on Myanmar with some other former UN investigators.&nbsp;

"It will send a very clear message to the military that may, hopefully, cause them to rethink their actions. The country cannot revert to military dictatorship without enormous harm to the people of Myanmar," he said.&nbsp;

Amid reports of being fired, Myanmar's Ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun on Wednesday sent letters to the world body insisting that he remains the legitimate representative of his country, reported NHK World.&nbsp;

In the letters dated on Monday, Kyaw Moe Tun wrote, "The perpetrators of the unlawful coup against the democratic government of Myanmar have no authority to countermand the legitimate authority of the president of my country.&nbsp;

"He claimed he remains Myanmar's permanent representative to the United Nations and rejected the country's military takeover. US State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the US government commends the bravery shown by Kyaw Moe Tun. He said the government understands that he remains in his position.&nbsp;

Earlier on Friday, Kyaw at a UN General Assembly meeting condemned his country's military for seizing power in a February 1 coup. He called on the international community to 'use any means necessary' to reverse the coup, reported NHK World.&nbsp;

Myanmar's state-run television reported later that the ambassador was fired for betraying the country. A UN spokesperson revealed that Myanmar's foreign ministry had notified the world body that the country had appointed the current deputy ambassador to temporarily fill the role, reported NHK World.&nbsp;

Pope Francis said on Wednesday the hopes of the people of Myanmar cannot be 'suffocated by violence' and again called for the release of political prisoners. At least 30 people have been killed since a coup on February 1.

Pope Francis said on Wednesday the hopes of the people of Myanmar cannot be 'suffocated by violence' and again called for the release of political prisoners. At least 30 people have been killed since a coup on February 1. The Pope, who visited Myanmar in 2017, made his comments at the end of his general audience at the Vatican. Meanwhile, a former United Nations expert on the country on Wednesday urged foreign firms to suspend all business activity in Myanmar to send a clear message to the military that its coup will hurt its people and ruin its economy. Chris Sidoti was part of an UN-led fact-finding mission, which in 2019 urged foreign firms to cut business ties with Myanmar's military over human rights abuses and pursue private sector investments there instead. That position has hardened since a February 1 coup and an ensuing bloody crackdown on protesters, Sidoti said, because the military has retaken control of the country it ruled for almost half a century, making it now risky to do any business there. "If businesses are responsible, they will put everything on hold at this point," said Sidoti, who has formed an independent advisory group on Myanmar with some other former UN investigators. "It will send a very clear message to the military that may, hopefully, cause them to rethink their actions. The country cannot revert to military dictatorship without enormous harm to the people of Myanmar," he said. Amid reports of being fired, Myanmar's Ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun on Wednesday sent letters to the world body insisting that he remains the legitimate representative of his country, reported NHK World. In the letters dated on Monday, Kyaw Moe Tun wrote, "The perpetrators of the unlawful coup against the democratic government of Myanmar have no authority to countermand the legitimate authority of the president of my country. "He claimed he remains Myanmar's permanent representative to the United Nations and rejected the country's military takeover. US State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the US government commends the bravery shown by Kyaw Moe Tun. He said the government understands that he remains in his position. Earlier on Friday, Kyaw at a UN General Assembly meeting condemned his country's military for seizing power in a February 1 coup. He called on the international community to 'use any means necessary' to reverse the coup, reported NHK World. Myanmar's state-run television reported later that the ambassador was fired for betraying the country. A UN spokesperson revealed that Myanmar's foreign ministry had notified the world body that the country had appointed the current deputy ambassador to temporarily fill the role, reported NHK World.

Now, Pope calls for release of political prisoners in Myanmar 

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