Description:
"Since January 1989, especially since March and again in June and July, the
tempo of political arrests has accelerated in Myanmar as the main student
groups and political parties have organized more frequent and larger
gatherings at which opinions increasingly critical of the authorities have
been voiced. In a document made public on 14 July 989. Myanmar (Burma):
Call for Dissemination and Enforcement of International Standards on the
Use of Force, Amnesty International expressed the hope that martial law
restrictions on civil liberties currently imposed by the armed forces in
Myanmar would not be enforced through the deliberate killing of
demonstrators, contrary to international standards on the use of force and
the right to life.
On 17 and 18 July 1989 the martial law administration empowered the
military to impose death sentences on political opponents, including people
not accused of violence, through summary judicial procedures that fall
short of international standards for fair trial and are contrary to the
safeguards enshrined in the Myanmar Judicial Law. These deficiencies
include allowing the death penalty for non-violent, not clearly criminal or
else only minor offences, elimination of the right of appeal to a higher
court and apparent curtailments of the right to a defence, particularly as
regards the calling of defence witnesses.
The new martial law provisions could lead to arbitrary executions and
Amnesty International has called on the authorities not to execute three
political prisoners sentenced to death under them on 27 July 1989 The
three are accused of involvement in a terrorist bombing. They have 30 days
in which to ask the Myanmar armed forces Commander-in-Chief to review their
sentences. Unless he orders their reprieve, they will be hanged..."
Source/publisher:
Amnesty International (ASA 16/15/89)
Date of Publication:
1989-08-00
Date of entry:
2005-08-19
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English
Local URL:
Format:
pdf
Size:
69.82 KB