Court reschedules hearing for detained Paletwa man on trial for incitement

By DMG 28 Jan 2022

DMG Newsroom
28 January 2022, Paletwa, Chin State

A man from Paletwa, Chin State, who was detained by the Myanmar military and is facing incitement charges, appeared before the township court on Thursday, but the hearing was rescheduled for February 10, according to the defendant’s family. 

Ko Tin Tun Aung was arrested on December 28 and faces charges under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, after telling the Arakan State-based media outlet Western News that a white flag had been seen flying on a hill where a military battalion was stationed in Paletwa Township. 

U Min Aung, a brother of Ko Tin Tun Aung, told DMG that he went to the Paletwa Township Court on Thursday to find out more about his brother’s case and the charges being brought against him. He left unsatisfied.

“I have taken three steps to the court. The judge directly stated that the court hearing has been rescheduled for February 10 without any examination,” he said.

He was able to meet with Ko Tin Tun Aung for about five minutes, asked about his health and only gave words of encouragement to his brother, U Min Aung added.

U Tin Tun Aung was arrested along with another man on December 28, after telling Western News about the white flag. The other man has since been released, but Ko Tin Tun Aung remains in custody.

The offending Western News report, meanwhile, has also landed the media outlet in legal hot water, with its editor-in-chief and a reporter facing charges. Many of the news agency’s employees have since gone into hiding, fearing potential arrest.