Injured In Shooting At Myanmar Anti-Coup Protest

Mya Thwet Thwet Khine was the first confirmed death among the many thousands who have taken to the streets to protest the February 1 coup that toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

They marched to commemorate a 20-year-old woman who died after being shot by police at a demonstration on February 9 in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw.

The more than two weeks of protests had been largely peaceful, unlike previous episodes of opposition during almost half a century of direct military rule up to 2011.

One young woman walked back to the road while holding aloft a vinyl banner with an image depicting the moment Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing was shot, as others held her in a vain effort to render first aid.

He told a news conference on Tuesday that the army's actions were within the constitution and supported by most people, and he blamed the protesters for instigating violence.

Another large protest took place in Mandalay, where police shot dead two people on Saturday near a dockyard as security forces were trying to force workers to load a boat.

Security forces had been increasing their pressure against anti-coup protesters earlier Saturday, using water cannons, tear gas, slingshots and rubber bullets against demonstrators and striking dock workers in Mandalay.

Video clips on social media showed members of the security forces firing and witnesses said they found the spent cartridges of live rounds and rubber bullets.

"I am horrified at more loss of life, including a teenage boy in Mandalay, as the ruling junta escalates its brutality in Myanmar", Tom Andrews, the UN's independent investigator for human rights in the Southeast Asian country, said on Twitter. "This madness must end, now", he said on Twitter.

"The sadness from her death is one thing, but we've also got courage to continue for her sake", student protester Khin Maw Maw Oo said.

Protesters are demanding that she be released, along with other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

The army says one policeman died of injuries sustained in a protest. The electoral commission dismissed the fraud complaints.

The army seized power after alleging fraud in November 8 elections that the NLD swept, detaining Suu Kyi and others.

Facebook said it deleted the military's main page, the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page, for repeated violations of its standards "prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm".

A live Saturday night broadcast on Facebook showed the wife of actor Lu Min describing to neighbours how her husband was arrested and taken away from their home shortly after midnight.

Western countries that earlier condemned the coup decried the violence.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the deadly violence.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an activist group, said Saturday 569 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced in connection with the coup.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price offered his government's condolences on Friday and reiterated calls on the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.

"The use of lethal force, intimidation and harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable".

He said the United Kingdom will consider the further action with other global partners against the military regime, which is "crushing democracy and choking dissent".

She is under house arrest, accused of possessing illegal walkie-talkies and violating the country's Natural Disaster Law.

New measures are also being taken to stop United Kingdom businesses working with Myanmar's military.

Governments in Canada, the US and Britain have imposed sanctions on the new military leaders, and they and other nations have called for Suu Kyi's administration to be restored.

About 1,000 people in cars and bikes gathered Sunday morning at the hospital where her body was held amid tight security, with even the victim's grandparents who had traveled from Yangon, five hours away, denied entry.