UN Myanmar investigators monitor reports that ‘executions may be imminent’

GENEVA — A United Nations team of investigators on Myanmar is closely monitoring reports that executions in the country could be imminent, its chief said on Sept 23, warning such a step could constitute a crime against humanity.

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, formed in 2018 to analyse evidence of serious violations of international law, said it had received information that several individuals sentenced to death in closed-door trials last year could soon be executed.

Myanmar's secretive military government has made no announcement of possible executions and has not responded to requests for comment from Reuters.

The organisation did not elaborate on the information it had received, or provide details on who could be executed.

"Imposing a death sentence, or even a period of detention, on the basis of proceedings that do not satisfy the basic requirements of a fair trial may constitute one or more crimes against humanity or war crimes," Nicholas Koumjian, head of the Geneva-based organisation, said in a statement.

"The Mechanism is monitoring and collecting information on the cases against these individuals and others that involve the imposition of the death penalty in circumstances that might violate fundamental fair trial guarantees."

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The junta was widely condemned in 2022 when it executed four democracy activists for aiding 'terror acts' by a resistance movement, in what were the country's first executions in decades.

The military at the time defended the resumption of executions, calling it 'justice for the people' and brushing off international outrage, including from its closest neighbours. It said those executed received due process and were not activists, but killers who