Beauty queen Htun Yadanar arrested during an ongoing protest in Myanmar

Myanmar security forces have shot dead at least 30 people during protests against the military coup in the past month, which ended Myanmar’s tentative steps towards democratic rule, triggering nationwide protests and international dismay.

As per reports, the violence came a day after foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbors urged restraint but failed to unite behind a call for the military to release ousted government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and restore democracy.

On February 28, in a move to suppress protesters, police fired live ammunition, killing many including teenagers, while a dozen others were injured.

On the same day, with the help of social media, Face of Beauty International Myanmar 2019 and Miss Universe Myanmar 2019 3rd Runner Up Htun Palal Yadanar informed her followers that she was arrested, stating, “Help, I was detained by the police.”

Htun has been actively demanding an end to military rule and the release from detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. And before leaving for the protest, she had announced her participation with a post captioned, “Save the date !!! 28/02/2021 🇲🇲 Our fight for democracy 🇲🇲 #milkteaalliance.” The security forces detained about 300 protesters. A video posted on social media showed long lines of young men, hands-on heads, filing into army trucks as police and soldiers stood guard.