Witnesses testify in case against four Arakanese students charged with incitement

By DMG 25 Jun 2021

DMG Newsroom
25 June 2021, Sittwe

Four Arakanese students who were charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 29 of the Disaster Management Law for staging an anti-war protest last year again appeared before the Sittwe Township Court on June 25.

“In the case charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, all six witnesses, including the prosecution witness, were examined. Witnesses will testify on July 2,” said U Hla Aung Thein, a lawyer representing the accused.

U Hla Aung Thein said that in the case under Section 29 of the Natural Disaster Management Law, Police Sub-Inspector Tun Tun was questioned at the court hearing on Friday, leaving only one witness left to testify.

“In the case filed under the Natural Disaster Management Law, seven out of eight witnesses, including the prosecution witness, have been examined. Tin Lin Maung, a police sub-inspector, is due to be questioned in the next two days,” the lawyer explained.

The four students joined a demonstration organised by the Arakan Students’ Union on October 19, with protesters’ slogans including “No Fascist Army”, “No Colonial Government”, “No Bloody Government”, and “Burmese Government Get Out”. 

Ko Kyaw Naing Htay, Ko Oo Than Naing and Ko Mrat Soe Win from the Arakan Students’ Union and Ko Kaung Tun from the Arakan Students’ Union (Universities - Yangon) were arrested by police during the protest.