US Urges International Partners to Pressure Myanmar Into Democratic Reforms - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is urging and working with international partners to increase pressure on the government of Myanmar to accept democratic reforms following the execution of political activists by military authorities, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday.

"The United States urges all partners and allies to join us in condemning the regime’s actions and stepping up pressure on the regime and its supporters," Price said during a press briefing. "We are discussing additional response options that we could implement ourselves, that we could implement in coordination with our partners - our partners in ASEAN, our other like-minded partners - with whom we’ve worked since February of last year to seek to put Burma back on the path to democracy."

The Canadian government also condemned the executions on Monday.

“Canada condemns the Myanmar military regime’s reprehensible acts of violence, including executions, against pro-democracy and opposition leaders. We will continue to support the people of Myanmar and honor the lives of those who were unjustly executed,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said via Twitter.

The Myanmar government executed former National League for Democracy lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, democracy activist Ko Jimmy and two others under the country’s counterterrorism laws, opposition news outlet Irrawaddy reported on Monday.

Jimmy was arrested for posting messages on social media and calling on the people in Myanmar to resist the military authorities while Thaw was arrested for organizing illegal armed anti-government groups.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the executions and affirmed the US’s commitment to restoring democracy in Myanmar, according to a statement.

While the United States has pushed for its allies to pressure Myanmar into sweeping changes, other nations have asked for less dramatic concessions from the nation.

Austria called for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in Myanmar on Monday after the execution of the four protesters.

"Austria strongly condemns the execution of four individuals in Myanmar [and] calls on the authorities to issue a moratorium," the foreign ministry said on social media.

The ministry said that Austria strongly opposed the use of capital punishment under all circumstances and would continue advocating the global abolition of this irreversible practice.