On February 1, 2021, the military coup began in Myanmar with the detention of country's leading figures. In response, the Forum 2000 Foundation, the International IDEA, and the National Endowment for Democracy issued a joint call on the Myanmar military to fully respect the results of the recent national elections, release all detained political and civil society leaders, refrain from exerting violence, and allow the country to institute real democratic reforms.
„We are deeply concerned by the detentions of President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Union Election Commission Chairman U Hla Thein, members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and civil society leaders and urge their immediate release“ states the call which was supported by more than 130 organizations and individual signatories from around the world.
Among the supporters of the statement are organizations like Freedom House, World Uyghur Congress, Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and The Oslo Center, but also individuals such as Frederik Willem de Klerk, Former President of South Africa, Heidi Hautala, MEP, Giorgi Margvelashvili, Former President of Georgia, Wai Wai Nu, Human Rights and Democracy Activist, and many other leading world personalities and democracy organizations. The signatories express their solidarity with the people of Myanmar and call on the international community to act decisively to protect democracy both in the country and globally.
Initiative is based on the spirit of global Call to Defend Democracy and The Prague Appeal for Democratic Renewal.