TheCable

Kyaw Naing, a Burmese freelance journalist killed by the Myanmar army in October, was badly beaten and possibly tortured, according to reports.

The army said Naing (pictured) was working for a rebel army and he was shot by a soldier while trying to escape. But his wife’s lawyer and others present at the exhumation of his body said it had extensive injuries.

Robert Aung, the lawyer, witnessed his exhumation along with Naing ‘s wife, Than Dar, as well as journalists, activists and members of a human rights commission investigating the death.

“There are blood marks on both sides of his chest, on his skin. His skull is broken and his jaw was completely smashed,” he told journalists.

“Photographs of the body appear to corroborate the observations. I believe the post-mortem will show torture but they did not tell us the answer yet.”

The army maintained Naing was working for a Karen insurgent group, and was shot after he tried to grab a soldier’s weapon.

The body was taken from a shallow grave in Kyaikmayaw township to the hospital in the Mon state capital, Mawlamyine.

Naw Hla, who also saw the body, said she saw signs of beating and bullet wounds.

“We all are waiting for the result of the post-mortem and to see how the government takes responsibility for this case,” she said.

Aung said that the journalist’s wife also told the public it was murder, that he was tortured and murdered.

Meanwhile, the national human rights commission said that it is investigating the death of Naing, also known as Ko Par Gyi.