JURIST EXCLUSIVE – Myanmar security forces continued their vicious crackdown on unarmed civilian protesters Thursday, killing as many as 12 at various locations across the country. Most of the killings took place in smaller centers and neighborhoods, as protesters avoided gathering en masse in the downtown areas of the largest cities. The killings, which appeared to be mostly by gunfire or sniper fire aimed at individuals resulting in fatal shots to the head, came just a day after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a statement condemning violence against peaceful protesters. The largest number of deaths was in Myaing, a small city near Mandalay, where some eight protesters were killed. Gruesome images of these and other killings filled Myanmar social media all day Thursday, provoking widespread disgust at the behavior of the security forces.

Law students reporting for JURIST in Myanmar deplored the violence and the images recording it. One said:

In north Dagon township where I live, three got injured and one was killed with headshot. He has a 3 years old son and her wife is also pregnant. We all are very sad and can’t stop crying, sir. Everything is getting worse in the whole country. During these days, it’s getting harder for us to have a nice conversation even with our families. Everyone is in pain, anger and disappointments. We can’t stand it anymore, killing and hitting violently our civilians, arresting our students, limiting and violating our human rights, these all are destroying us mentally, we all just sit and watch them and cry, but we can’t do anything, sir.

Another said:

The photos are too awful. All these are head shot. I feel so bad after seeing this. There are a lot more than that….They are outrageous. I believe one day they will be sentenced and punished at ICC Court…. They are just murderers. They are terrorists attacking the civilians and committing crimes against humanity.

A third said simply: “I can’t stand anymore when I see such news on social media.”