CT law dismissals disappoint

By DMG 24 Aug 2021

DMG Newsroom
24 August 2021, Sittwe

Family members and lawyers say that the dismissal of those charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law in Arakan State has not been significant.

The Arakan State military council has said it will withdraw the remaining cases filed under the Counter-Terrorism Law, but is awaiting the approval of the Central Committee for Counter Terrorism.

Family members of those arrested under the Counter-Terrorism Law say the cases have not been dropped yet.

“I want to know why my son has not been released from prison yet, for no apparent reason,” said Daw San Thar Nu, a mother from Lekka village, Mrauk-U Township, who continues to question the Arakan State Administration Council about the arrest and prosecution of her 24-year-old son, Ko Oo Hla Maung.

The Anti-Terrorism Central Committee has announced that the Arakan Army (AA) and United League of Arakan (ULA) were designated as terrorist groups and unlawful associations on March 23, 2020, with the approval of the previous union government.

Less than a year later, the Anti-Terrorism Central Committee announced on March 11, 2021, that it had removed the AA from the terrorist group list.

“Both sides are working wisely for peace. There may be other people who will be released from prison, but I don’t know exactly,” U Hla Thein, chairman of the Arakan State Administration Council’s Information Committee and Arakan State attorney-general, replied to a question raised by DMG about the current situation regarding the withdrawal of charges under the Counter Terrorism Law.

Twenty-one cases brought under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law and involving allegedly illegal ties to the formerly terrorist-designated Arakan Army have been dropped since the ethnic armed group was de-listed, according to the Arakan State Administration Council’s data released on June 19.

More than 200 people were arrested and charged under the Anti-Terrorism Law after being accused of associating with the AA during some two years of fighting in Arakan State, according to data from the Thazin Legal Institute.

Those arrested under the Counter-Terrorism Law should be released as soon as possible, said U Aung Sit Min, a lawyer.

“Some have been sued under anti-terrorism laws for a long time. Some cases have been going on for more than two years. Some people have been detained for a long time before being punished,” he said.

It has been about 10 months since a cessation of hostilities between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State.