Washington, DC—The United States is “deeply concerned” by the decision from Myanmar’s ruling junta to extend the country’s state of emergency for six months, a State Department spokesman has said.
The extension, announced earlier in the day, spelled a delay for elections the military had pledged to hold in August as it battles anti-coup fighters across the country.
“The United States is deeply concerned by the Burma military regime’s extension of the state of emergency, which comes as the regime plunges the country deeper into violence and instability,” said spokesman Matthew Miller, using an alternate name for the country.
The Southeast Asian country has been ravaged by deadly violence since a coup deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s government more than two years ago, unleashing a bloody crackdown on dissent that has sparked fighting across swathes of the nation while tanking the economy.
Meanwhile, Jailed Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been pardoned in five criminal cases, though she still faces 14 others, state media said Tuesday.
The announcement was part of an amnesty of more than 7,000 prisoners to mark Buddhist Lent.
“Chairman of State Administration Council pardons Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced by the relevant courts,” the broadcast said.
Suu Kyi, who has been in detention since she was ousted in a 2021 military coup, has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for a clutch of charges, including corruption, possession of illegal walkie talkies and flouting coronavirus restrictions.
The broadcast said she had been pardoned in five cases but faces 14 others. AFP