The army has been carrying out nightly arrests and on Saturday gave itself sweeping powers to detain people and search private property. On Sunday, it published penal code amendments aimed at stifling dissent.
“It’s as if the generals have declared war on the people,” U.N. Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said on Twitter.
“Late night raids; mounting arrests; more rights stripped away; another Internet shutdown; military convoys entering communities. These are signs of desperation. Attention generals: You WILL be held accountable.”
Western embassies — from the European Union, Britain, Canada and 11 other nations — issued a statement late on Sunday calling on security forces to “refrain from violence against demonstrators and civilians, who are protesting the overthrow of their legitimate government.”
The amendments to the penal code set out a 20-year prison term for inciting hatred of the government or military or hindering the security forces engaged in preserving state stability.
Hindering the security forces carrying out their duties is punishable by seven years in prison while spreading fear, fake news or agitating against government employees gets three years, according to the amendments posted on a military website.
In the latest sign of disruption by workers, the Department of Civil Aviation said in a statement many staff had stopped coming to work since Feb. 8, causing flight delays.
Some trains have also stopped running, media reported.
The junta has ordered civil servants back to work, threatening action.
At least 400 people have been detained since the coup, the monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said.
Suu Kyi’s party won a 2015 election and another on Nov. 8 but the military said the vote was marred by fraud and used that complaint to justify their coup. The electoral commission dismissed accusations of fraud.
Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/14/armored-vehicles-deployed-to-major-cities-in-myanmar-after-mass-protests.html
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