YANGON — 2017 · Murder
The Assassination of Lawyer Ko Ni
Constitutional lawyer Ko Ni, legal adviser to the governing National League for Democracy, was shot in the head outside Yangon International Airport on 29 January 2017 as he returned from abroad. A taxi driver who tried to stop the gunman was also killed. One of Myanmar's most prominent Muslim lawyers, Ko Ni had argued for replacing the military-drafted 2008 constitution. Police said the killing had been planned by former army officers. In February 2019 the gunman and an accomplice were sentenced to death and other defendants were jailed. One alleged planner was never caught, and his family and rights groups said the masterminds were never fully exposed.
- Date
- 2017
- Place
- Yangon Region, Myanmar, Yangon, MM
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 16.9070, 96.1330 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 29 January 2017Ko Ni and a taxi driver were shot dead at Yangon airport.
- 30 January 2017Thousands attended Ko Ni's funeral.
- February 2017Police said former army officers had planned the killing.
- 15 February 2019The gunman and an accomplice were sentenced to death; one planner remained at large.
Sources
- BBC News — Leading lawyer Ko Ni assassinated at Yangon airport bbc.com ↗
- BBC News — Thousands mourn shot Myanmar lawyer bbc.com ↗
- The New York Times — Myanmar lawyer assassinated nytimes.com ↗
- BBC News
- The New York Times
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.