A court in a Myanmar delta town sentenced seven men to death on 20 October, sources close to their families told Mizzima.

Thuza Aye, a female judge at Pyapon township court in Ayayawaddy region read out the verdicts for the men accused of killing a military veteran on 4 November 2021.

These seven political prisoners are Wunna Tun, 46, who is a former employee of Myanmar Economic Bank in Pyapon township branch, San Lin San, 30, Ko Ko Aung, 30, Kyaw San Oo, 23, Thura Phyo (alias) Wa Tote, 26, Tun Tun Oo (alias) Snay, 28 and Aung Myint Moe (alias) Aye Min Thu, 24.

“They all were sentenced to death and 45 years. Death sentence was for Section 302-1 (b) and the prison sentence was under the terror acts,” said a family member of one of the prisoners.

Moreover, the court also passed long-term sentences to another seven political inmates under the Counter-Terrorism Law.

All of these 14 persons were arrested in August and September last year, and they were detained in Pyapon prison.

A source close to the family of an inmate said, “Some were arrested in Yangon, and some were in Pyapon district. The Military Council accused them of belonging to a People’s Defence Force. They will have to face more charges.”

The Pyapon district judge also passed death sentences on four young persons around 20 years old from Bogalay township earlier, on 12 September, and three men from Bogalay and Maubin townships on 28 September, with accusing them of committing murders.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) stated that 156 persons have been sentenced to death in Myanmar after the military coup.

Four political prisoners Kyaw Min Yu (alisa) Jimmy, NLD party’s parliamentarian Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw were hanged in Insein prison in January 2022.