BRUSSELS — The European Union Monday said it "shares the deep concern expressed" in the UN Human Rights Council report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar about the widespread violations of human rights committed in Myanmar.

"We reiterate our strong support to the mandate of the Mechanism to collect evidence of serious international crimes and violations of international law and facilitate criminal proceedings in order to ensure accountability of those responsible," said the EU in its intervention at the 48th session of the UNHRC in Geneva.

"We call on Myanmar to cooperate with the mandate of the IIMM and to provide meaningful and unhindered access to relevant sources of information and locations," said the 27-member bloc.

"After the military coup of Feb. 1 the human rights, humanitarian, and security situations have quickly deteriorated due to the indiscriminate attacks by the military forces against the civilian population, threatening the lives of thousands of people in Myanmar," it noted.

The EU condemned in the strongest terms the use of force violence against peaceful protesters and civilians, as well as the widespread instances of arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings, and called on the Myanmar armed forces to immediately halt the use of violence against civilians. — KUNA