A senior member of Myanmar’s former ruling party has died aged 72 while serving a prison sentence widely considered to be politically motivated.
Zaw Myint Maung was a close colleague of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a spokesman for her National League for Democracy party (NLD), and had been arrested along with her during the 2021 military takeover.
He had been a second vice president and chief minister of the central Mandalay region before the army seized control of the government. His political activities had seen him jailed at least twice under previous administrations.
Zaw Myint Maung was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2019. His death was confirmed by Tun Kyi, a party colleague from Mandalay, and another friend.
In a statement expressing condolences, the National Unity Government, the main shadow opposition group organising against army rule, lauded Zaw Myint Maung for being “unwaveringly committed to the democratic cause, fighting alongside the people and other democratic forces to dismantle military dictatorship”.
The NLD won a landslide victory in Myanmar’s 2020 election, but the army seized power February 1 2021 – the day it was supposed to begin a second five-year term in office.
The country is enmeshed in civil war between the military and pro-democracy forces, allied with armed ethnic minority groups.
Zaw Myint Maung was serving a prison sentence of 29 years after being convicted in closed court in 2021 and 2022 on charges of violating coronavirus restrictions, corruption, sedition and election fraud.
The charges are similar to those against other NLD members, including Suu Kyi, and are widely regarded as having been fabricated to sideline the party and legitimise the military’s takeover.
Zaw Myint Maung was transferred from Obo prison to Mandalay General Hospital on several occasions for treatment over his condition.
Friends who confirmed his death said prison officials came to the hospital on Sunday to read Zaw Myint Maung an official letter saying the military had granted him amnesty.
A copy of the purported letter posted on social media said the amnesty was granted as an act of leniency and compassion.
He was not the first senior NLD member to die after being imprisoned by the military government.
Nyan Win, who had been a member of the NLD central executive committee as well as a confidante of Suu Kyi, died in July 2021 after contracting Covid-19 in Insein prison in Yangon.
The NLD was dissolved along with 39 other political parties in 2023 for failing to reapply under a new party registration law.
The military has said there will be an election next year but has not set a date.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here