The European Union (EU) on Tuesday called the persecution of political dissidents in Burma «unacceptable» and condemned the «serious» human rights violations in the country on the eve of the second anniversary of the coup carried out by the army.
«The politically motivated trials against democratically elected President Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as many other dissidents and pro-democracy activists, are completely unacceptable and show the military regime’s desire to eradicate all democratic opposition to its government,» EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell said in a statement.
In this way, he called for the release of «all political prisoners». He also condemned the four executions of pro-democracy and opposition leaders on July 25, which represents «a violation of human rights» and is an «inhuman, cruel and irreversible punishment» that violates «the inalienable right to life».
«The continued escalation of violence by the military regime and the evolution towards protracted conflict in Burma is alarming, with implications for stability and peace in the wider region. More than 17 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.2 million have been displaced since the coup,» he recalled.
He said that «those responsible» for the coup and the perpetrators of violence «must be held accountable» and called on the international community to take «greater preventive action», especially through an arms embargo.
«All hostilities must cease immediately. Military authorities must fully respect humanitarian law and put an end to the indiscriminate use of force. They must ensure rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all displaced and needy people in all parts of the country,» he concluded.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
