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Activists condemned "crimes against humanity" in Myanmar and called on the international community to take coordinated action, DPA reported.

The statement was made on the eve of the second anniversary of the military coup in the Southeast Asian country.

"In the two years since the coup, Myanmar's military junta has committed an increasingly sinister spiral of atrocities against the (country's) people that amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes," said Elaine Pearson, Human Rights Watch's Asia director. .

The human rights NGO called on foreign governments to put pressure on the military junta, as well as target the main sources of revenue for the army and "establish fundamental freedoms and democratic civilian rule".

"Instead of (organizing) elections in August that will inevitably be rigged, the generals in Myanmar should face international consequences for their crimes," Pearson urged.

A law has already been passed banning the participation of parties that refuse to cooperate with the junta.

As a result, many political formations will not be able to participate in the elections, DPA notes.

Elaine Pearson urged the international community not to recognize "this mock election" as legitimate.

"There is no way to produce fair elections when people do not have basic rights or political opponents are disqualified," she argued.

On February 1, 2021, the democratically elected government, headed de facto by Aung San Suu Kyi, was forcibly overthrown by the military under General Min Aung Khlein and replaced by military rule.

Since then, chaos and violence have reigned in Myanmar, DPA notes.

The EU has imposed sanctions on 19 more prominent representatives of the junta in Myanmar

The army violently suppressed pro-democracy protests and wants to crush the armed resistance of militias around the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, received more than 30 years in prison on various charges.

The cases were widely condemned as show trials aimed at discrediting previous civilian leaders such as Aung San Suu Kyi and strengthening the junta's position, DPA said.

The European Union and the United States have imposed sanctions on the military that took power in Myanmar.

"During large-scale military operations, junta forces have committed attacks against civilians that amount to war crimes against ethnic minorities," Human Rights Watch said.

According to data from the human rights organization "Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners", at least 2,900 people were killed and 17,000 arrested after the coup in Myanmar, BTA notes.

Myanmar

junta