JURIST EXCLUSIVE – A Myanmar law student who was shot Monday by police using live rounds to disperse protesters in a Mandalay township has died, becoming the first law student fatality of the Myanmar military coup.  Myo Hein Kyaw, 24, was a law student in his final year at Mandalay’s Yadanabon University. One of our Myanmar law students correspondents wrote Wednesday:

He was arrested on 22 Mar during the crackdown of Aung Pin Lae township, Mandalay. On Nga kywe Street between 52×53 streets, he was trying to run away on a motorbike when he was shot with live ammunition. He fell onto the ground but still alive then. He was dragged along by the Terrorists. His friends and family heard that he was taken to Oh-Bo Prison [in Mandalay] so they thought he’ll be released soon. This morning, his family was told that he’s dead and his body is already buried. So, his family didn’t get to see him for the last time. Getting abducted alive and announced to be dead next days are very common.

Also Wednesday, 14 law students held by junta authorities at Insein Prison since protests on March 3 were released to their families along with many other Yangon students who had been detained. Another Myanmar law student filing for JURIST offered this perspective on the timing of the mass release, coming as it did on a day when citizens in Myanmar cities locked themselves down in a “silence strike”, staying indoors in silent protest against the February 6 military coup:

I think the timing is intentional for these reasons

1. Today is Nationwide SILENT STRIKE. They don’t want a… city with no people so they want to create a crowd of lawyers and parents at least around the prison or police stations.

2. Same trick – To cover other news! While these students are released, they’ve abducted about 30 boys who are said to be leaders/members of security teams in Yangon.

3. Today is the court hearing date of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The hearing is cancelled again due to “Internet connection” (that’s what they call it).

(There’re two more reasons but we don’t have any evidence)
4. The prisons have no enough space or budget to feed all.

5. They want to tone down their already bad image in international community as there has been more and more sanctions on them.

6. The Terrorists at higher level management want to lie their subordinates on ground. Internet data cut-off is very likely to target their subordinates rather than for people. (Today, my ____ called my ___ again. He said the generals [have been] told that things are settled, they’ve won, no protesters on streets (Silent strike), people has given up, and accepted the Terrorists as their government and that’s why many people are released today!