A Myanmar woman shot in the head during an anti-coup protest in the Southeast Asian country died Friday, after being on life support for 10 days, according to her family.
Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, 20, who is the first fatality from the anti-coup movement, was mortally wounded on Feb. 9 in the capital Naypyitaw as demonstrators were rallying in opposition to ouster of the country's elected government on Feb. 1.
Her death is likely to increase criticism of authorities' use of force against demonstrators as protest rallies took place for a 14th straight day throughout Myanmar on Friday.
Her elder sister Mya Thadoe Nwe, 28, vowed to continue fighting for democracy and called for more citizens to participate in the demonstrations. "I strongly believe that this movement will be successful finally," she told Kyodo News.
"We're hearing that they're targeting the young activists these days. I'd like to say to the youth of our country please don't be afraid. If we all get afraid of this now and give up, we'll all have to live with such a fear for the rest of our lives." she said.
Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy issued a statement calling Mya Thwet Thwet Khine's death "a loss for the people of Myanmar who want democracy."
The two sisters had participated together in the demonstration.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said it has verified two videos posted on Facebook of the demonstration, which partly show demonstrators throwing debris toward the police and the police firing water cannon at the protesters.
In the footage, Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, wearing a red T-shirt and helmet, is struck by the water cannon's stream and is led away by another woman. As she turns away from the water blast, a crack is heard and she slumps to the ground.
A line of police officers is seen positioned in the direction from which she was shot.
According to doctors who treated her in the intensive care unit, X-ray images strongly suggested that she was shot with a live round. Her helmet also had marks of bullet penetration.
Kyin Than, an uncle of the victim, told local media in Naypyitaw that doctors confirmed to the family that a metal bullet was removed postmortem.
On the same day of the incident, another participant in the same protest was shot in the chest, but survived. Doctors said his wound was consistent with that of live ammunition.
On Thursday, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan stressed that there should be no violence against unarmed civilians, saying, "In particular, live rounds should not be fired on unarmed civilians under any circumstances."
The military said one police officer died after being assaulted by the demonstrators amid the unrest.
Related coverage:
Large-scale protests continue in Myanmar for 12th day
Suu Kyi faces new charge making long-term detention likely
Myanmar people protest in hundreds of thousands, at least 2 shot
