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- A second official from deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) has died in custody after he was arrested early on Tuesday
- Zaw Myat Linn was detained in Yangon at around 1:30 am, local time, but the cause of his death is not yet known
- His death follows that of Khin Maung Latt, who had worked as a campaign manager for an NLD MP elected in 2020 and died after he was arrested on Saturday night
- More than 1900 people have been arrested across Myanmar since the coup began while over 60 protestors have died
- Police officers and their families are now beginning to flee to India, claiming that superiors had given orders to “shoot till they are dead” when dealing with protestors
A second official from deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) has died in custody after he was arrested early on Tuesday.
He is the second party figure to pass away in as many days, as the military continues its crackdown on anti-coup protestors and the media.
The NLD’s Zaw Myat Linn was detained in the country’s main city of Yangon around 1:30 am local time, said Ba Myo Thein, a member of the now-dissolved upper house of parliament. However, the cause of Zaw Myat Linn’s death is not known.
“He’s been participating continuously in the protests,” Ba Myo Thein added.
Before he was arrested, Zaw Myat Linn urged people in a Facebook live broadcast to continue fighting the army, “even if it costs our lives.”
“Their power must never last,” he continued.
His death follows that of Khin Maung Latt, who had worked as a campaign manager for an NLD MP elected in 2020 and died after he was arrested on Saturday night.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 1900 people have been arrested across Myanmar since the coup began while over 60 protestors have died.
With the escalating violence, roughly 100 people — mostly police officers and their families — have fled to India, taking shelter in Mizoram state’s Champhai district that borders Myanmar.
They claim that, in dealing with protestors, their superiors gave orders to “shoot till they are dead.”
“As the Civil disobedience movement is gaining momentum and protest(s) held by anti-coup protesters at different places we are instructed to shoot at the protesters,” several officers wrote in a statement to Mizoram police.
“In such a scenario, we don’t have the guts to shoot at our own people who are peaceful demonstrators.”
Zoramthanga, Mizoram’s chief minister, said his administration would provide temporary food and shelter to those fleeing Myanmar, but a decision on repatriations was pending with India’s federal government.
