Myanmar Military Executes Four Pro-Democracy Activists
New York TimesDec 23, 2022
The Facts
The Myanmar government on Mon. said it had executed four prisoners, including a former politician and a veteran activist, in the nation's first use of capital punishment in decades.
A state-run news outlet said the four prisoners were killed on charges of committing "terror acts" including murder. No information about when they were executed has been released.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
These four individuals were violent extremists who were found guilty through a fair judicial process and were punished for participating in terrorism against the state. They aided militias fighting the country's military and two of them murdered a woman just because she was supporting the government.
Establishment-critical narrative
These executions show the lengths to which the current regime will go in its attempt to return Myanmar to military rule. They know that their citizens are against this illegitimate regime, which is why the junta is seeking to execute opposition leaders and scare dissidents away. The international community must continue to take a firm stance against these atrocities.
