The State Administration Council (SAC) has confirmed the first executions in Myanmar in more than three decades as U Jimmy, U Phyo Zeyar Thaw, and two others are executed.

The other two who were executed were U Hla Myo Aung and U Aung Thura Zaw.

The information team of the SAC told the media on July 25 that the penalties for the four prisoners including U Jimmy and U Phyo Zeyar Thaw sentenced to death had been meted out as the state-run newspapers reported. 

The reply came after the media sought confirmation from the SAC information team over the newspapers’ reports about the executions.

On the July 25 issues of the state-run newspapers said: “Brutal murders emerged in Myanmar as of March 14, 2021.  As Phyo Zeyar Thaw (a) Maung Kyaw (a) Ye Khe, Kyaw Min Yu (a) Jimmy, Hla Myo Aung (a) Ko Myo (a) Wetgyi and Aung Thura Zaw (a) Gatone (a) Thura orchestrated conspiracies for brutal and inhumane terror acts such as murders, a lot of innocent people died. Hence, relevant military tribunals indicted them under relevant sections of the Counter-Terrorism Law and the Penal Code and handed down death sentences to those four culprits. According to the department concerned, the punishment has been meted out under the prison procedure.”

SAC spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun told VOM news agency: “It is like the way the newspapers reported. We will not clarify this at a coming press conference. We don’t need to explain because the case was settled in accord with the law.”

News about the punishment came after some news agencies reported that U Jimmy and U Phyo Zeyar Thaw were allowed to meet their families in prison on July 22.

When their family members went to Insein Prison on July 25 for the penalty meted out, prison authorities confirmed the executions but refused to return their bodies, some news agencies reported. 

Two other men were sentenced to death for torturing and stabbing to death a woman they alleged was an informer for the military in Hlaingthayar Township, Yangon.

Phyo Zeyar Thaw was arrested at Yadanar Hninsi Housing, Yadar Road, Dagon Seikkan Township on November 18 with arms and ammunitions. He was arrested together with two pistols, 48 rounds of 9mm ammunition, one M16 gun, 74 rounds of 5.56 ammunition.

Jimmy was arrested at No-109, Pinglon Housing, 27 ward, North Dagon Myothit Township with 6 AK-47s, 18 M-16s and 2-12 bolt guns, one homemade gun and 18 magazines. He was given sentence under Section 49 (a) of Counter-Terrorism law, assisting terrorists, Unlawful association act, Arms act and explosive substances act.

Accordingly, both were sentenced to death for their actions, the SAC said in its press statements.