AA chief’s younger brother faces trial delay

By DMG 11 May 2021

DMG Newsroom
11 May 2021, Yangon 

Ko Aung Mrat Kyaw, the younger brother of Arakan Army (AA) chief Major-General Twan Mrat Naing, and seven others appeared before Yangon’s Western District Court once again on May 11, but the case has been postponed to May 18, according to a lawyer representing the defendants. 

Police Captain Min Min Thu, a police forensic expert who is the trial’s final prosecution witness, was not allowed to appear in court on Tuesday, so the hearing was pushed back to May 18, said defence lawyer U Aung Kyaw Sein. Of the 14 prosecution witnesses in the case, 13 have testified so far. 

“The defendants appeared before the court, but the last remaining witness did not come to the court. … With only one witness left to testify, the court rescheduled the hearing for next Tuesday,” the lawyer said. 

Members of the Arakan Association (Singapore) Ko Aung Mrat Kyaw, Ko Tun Aye, Ko Hein Zaw, Ko Ye Kyaw Htet, Ma May Gyi, Ko Tin Hlaing Oo, Ko Mrat Lay Oo and Ko Shwe Hlaing Than were arrested in July 2019 on charges of having ties to the Arakan Army and providing financial support to the ethnic armed group. 

The eight Arakanese men were charged under Section 50(j) and 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law by Police Major Tin Shwe from Yangon Region’s Special Branch. 

The Arakan Association (Singapore) is known for providing assistance to people affected by natural disasters in Arakan State. 

A total of 362 people were arrested on suspicion of having illegal ties to the Arakan Army during some two years of fighting, which ended in October 2020, between the Tatmadaw and the ethnic armed organisation in Arakan State, according to data compiled by Thazin Legal Institute.