Protesters took to the streets in Myanmar cities for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, to oppose a military takeover that ousted the country’s democratically elected leader last week.
The protests took place in the shadow of a gunfight against a protester and the use of water cannons by security forces on Tuesday.
Images shared on social media appeared to show a woman in front of a protest falling to the ground after being shot. It is not clear what type of projectile caused his injuries and his current condition is also unclear.
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews referred to the shooting on Twitter, adding: “The world is in solidarity with the Myanmar protesters”.
The military put democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi under arrest on February 1 and imposed an internet blackout while restricting meetings and curfews.
About 190 people have been arrested in connection with the military coup since February 1, according to the newspaper rights group, Political Prisoner Assistance Association.
Richard Weirr, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: “We have seen increasing restrictions on the ability of people to mobilize and assemble in the form of effective meeting bans for people in almost 40 different areas across the country. We have also seen an escalation in the use of force that culminated yesterday. “
Weirr called on foreign powers to impose sanctions on coup leaders and demand that the democratically elected government be restored.
The coup came after a movement of almost a decade towards greater openness and democracy after five decades of military rule.
Video posted on social media on Wednesday showed protesters walking down the streets and gathering in squares in Yangon. They shouted slogans, waved red flags and wore red bandanas on their heads.
A group of police in Loikaw, in the east of the country, joined the protesters and marched in uniform with them.
In the capital, Naypyitaw, hundreds of government officials joined the protests in support of a growing campaign of civil disobedience, Reuters reported.
“We cannot be quiet,” young leader Esther Ze Naw told the news agency. “If there is blood spilled during our peaceful protests, there will be more if we let them take over the country.”
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In the city of Mandalay, in the center of the country, protesters formed a motorcycle parade to show their opposition to the military coup.
The State Department on Tuesday strongly condemned violence against demonstrators and repeated calls for the military to restore the democratically elected government.
“We are not hiding where we are when it comes to the military’s need to relinquish power,” spokesman Ned Price said at a State Department press conference.
Price said the United States tried to reach Suu Kyi after the coup, but requests were denied.
The UN has also expressed concern about the use of force against protesters.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Matthew Mulligan and Caroline Radnofsky contributed.