Myanmar coup: UN rights expert 'terrified' as more military deployed in cities ahead of public demonstrations

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar has warned of the potential surge in violence, as protests continue against the military who overthrew the democratically elected government.

This comes after reports emerged that a "secretive trial" of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint began being conducted on Tuesday, United Nations said in a statement on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews had said in a statement that he is "terrified" that violence could break out, as additional soldiers have been deployed in towns and cities, including the commercial hub Yangon, where demonstrations are planned.

"I am terrified that given the confluence of these two developments - planned mass protests and troops converging - we could be on the precipice of the military committing even greater crimes against the people of Myanmar," Andrews said, as quoted by UN news.

The Special Rapporteur also called on the international business community to take "immediate" action.

As the military coup continues to persist, Myanmar's online businesses are struggling due to night-time curfew and internet outage from 1 am to 9 am, reported Myanmar Times. Online shop owners said that the sales have declined by half in recent days following disruptions in connectivity and slow internet speed.

"Online shops function by selling and buying on the internet. If the connection between sellers and buyers is lost then we cannot sell anything," said Ma Thiri, an online entrepreneur.

On February 1, Myanmar's military staged a coup and overthrew the democratically elected government of the NLD, alleging voter fraud in November 2020 elections that saw the NLD securing a resounding victory.

The military detained several political officials and activists including State Counsellor Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, and declared a one-year emergency.

Despite military repression, widespread protests continue across Myanmar, including Yangon and other key cities.