Myanmar marks coup anniversary with arrests, silent protests

The streets of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, remained empty early on Tuesday. By 4 p.m., residents clapped loudly to end their silent strike. Local media reported some protests and clashes, with at least two deaths at a pro-military rally. The military takeover on Feb. 1, 2021, ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who is still facing charges under the junta’s leadership.

How did the military junta respond? The National Defence and Security Council extended the state of emergency on Monday, hours before the anniversary. Authorities also detained at least 58 people last week who indicated they had plans to participate in the silent strike. The junta has detained more than 11,000 people, while more than 1,500 others have died since the coup. On Monday, the Biden administration imposed fresh sanctions on senior members of Myanmar’s judiciary and a major revenue-generating port over rights abuses since the takeover. In a statement, President Joe Biden asked the military to release Suu Kyi and other detainees and reverse its actions.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Angela Lu Fulton’s report on anti-coup protesters fighting the military.