Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Foreign Ministers of the G7 countries on Tuesday firmly condemned violence committed by Myanmar’s security forces against peaceful protests, applying more pressure on the country’s coup leader.

The ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union called on the military and the police forces of Myanmar to exercise utmost restraint and respect human rights and international law.

“Use of live ammunition against unarmed people is unacceptable. Anyone responding to peaceful protests with violence must be held to account,” a statement by the G7 ministers said. They sent their condolences to those who had lost friends or family.

The statement also condemned “the intimidation and oppression of those opposing the coup. We raise our concern at the crackdown on freedom of expression, including through the internet blackout and draconian changes to the law that repress free speech. The systematic targeting of protesters, doctors, civil society and journalists must stop and the state of emergency must be revoked. We continue to call for full humanitarian access to support the most vulnerable.”

“We remain united in condemning the coup in Myanmar. We call again for the immediate and unconditional release of those detained arbitrarily, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint and continue to stand with the people of Myanmar in their quest for democracy and freedom.”