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Added on the 05/02/2021 20:22:49 - Copyright : France 24 EN
Some 100 protesters march briefly in Yangon's Tamwe township, chanting “let’s end military dictatorship” and “let’s root out the fascist army”. A flag representing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is also burned. ASEAN has led diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, but the regional bloc is not known for its diplomatic clout, and observers have questioned how effectively it can influence events in the country. Meanwhile, the trial of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi will hear its first testimony in a junta court Monday, more than four months after February's military coup. The junta has brought a variety of charges against the Nobel laureate, from illegally accepting 11 kilograms of gold to breaking a colonial-era secrecy law. IMAGES
Streets in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon are quieter than usual, with a heavy military presence in parts of the city where soldiers stand guard at checkpoints and patrol in trucks, as the nation marks the third anniversary of a 2021 coup d'etat. Opponents of the military have called for people to stay indoors in a "silent strike" against the coup. IMAGES
Hundreds of protestors gather outside the UN office in Bangkok on the third anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. IMAGES
A Russian court on Friday sentenced jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny to 19 additional years behind bars on extremism charges. IMAGES
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny appears in a Russian court via video link at a pre-trial hearing. His team says authorities are preparing a major new trial against him. IMAGES
The United States condemns Myanmar's junta for dissolving the party of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and warns that the move would bring more instability. "We strongly condemn the Burma military regime's decision to abolish 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy," State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel says, using Myanmar's former name. "Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma would not be and cannot be considered free or fair and, given the widespread opposition to military rule, the regime's unilateral push towards elections likely will escalate instability," he adds. SOUNDBITE