ASEAN denounces and is strongly disappointed by the execution of four opposition activists, including Phyo Zeyar Thaw, Kyaw Min Yu, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, despite the appeals by Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, in his capacity as the ASEAN Chair, as well as other ASEAN Member States, for the sentences to be reconsidered.

This is an issue that ASEAN takes seriously. While the complexity of the crisis is well recognized and the extreme bellicose mood can be felt from all corners of Myanmar, ASEAN as a whole has called for utmost restraint, patience and efforts to avoid escalating the situation. The implementation of the death sentences, just a week before the 55th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting is highly reprehensible as it created a setback to and present a gross lack of will to support the efforts, particularly by the ASEAN Chair, in expediting progress on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC), namely in building trust and confidence to engender a dialogue among all parties concerned, in order to end violence and alleviate the suffering of the innocent people.

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