Myanmar party official dies after arrest, hundreds escape overnight security siege

An official from deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) died in custody after he was arrested early on Tuesday, a former parliamentarian said, the second party figure to die in detention in two days as protesters challenged last month's military coup in the streets.

Overnight, police arrested about 50 people who had been cornered by security forces in a district of Myanmar's main city Yangon, a rights group said. But hundreds managed to escape the encirclement after crowds of demonstrators rallied in their support in defiance of a night-time curfew.

Western powers and the United Nations had called on the military to allow the youths to leave the area in safety.

Myanmar has been in crisis since the army ousted Suu Kyi's elected government in a coup on Feb. 1, detained her and other NLD officials, and set up a ruling junta of generals.

Daily protests against the coup are being staged across the country and security forces have cracked down harshly. More than 60 protesters have been killed and more than 1,800 detained, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), an advocacy group, has said.

The NLD's Zaw Myat Linn died in custody on Tuesday after he was arrested in Yangon around 1:30 a.m., said Ba Myo Thein, a member of the dissolved upper house of parliament.