August 24, 2024
Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, a total of 5,543 democracy activists and civilians have been killed by the junta and its affiliates, according to a report released by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on August 23, 2024.
The AAPP also noted that there are approximately 2,300 additional deaths under investigation, pending verification.
The report states that a total of 27,241 people have been arrested in connection with the coup, with 20,781 still in detention. Among those detained, 9,341 have been sentenced to prison.
As of August 23, 2024, 123 political prisoners have been sentenced to death, with 44 already executed in secret. The total number of death sentences now stands at 167. Additionally, 6,460 people who were previously arrested have been released.
According to the AAPP, between January 1 and August 23, 2024, 22 political prisoners—20 men and 2 women—have died while in custody.
One notable case mentioned in the report is that of Myo Thura, a resident of Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon Region. Arrested by the junta on June 16, 2023, Myo Thura was sentenced to life imprisonment on January 10, 2024, by a military tribunal at Insein Prison. He was reportedly tortured and subsequently died in custody on August 9, 2024.
The AAPP emphasizes that these figures are based on the information they have been able to gather, and that the actual numbers on the ground may be significantly higher.
