Man charged under Counter-Terrorism receives emergency medical treatment

13 Sep 2019

Aung Htein | DMG
September 13, Sittwe

Sithu Aung, 20, from KyaungTaung village in Mrauk-U township, who is being charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law, vomited blood at about 10 a.m. this morning and is receiving urgent treatment at Sittwe hospital, his family said.

U Maung Thaung Aye, father of Sithu Aung, said his son had vomited blood because he had been tortured by Tatmadaw after his arrest.

“The military arrested him and tortured him for about 40 days. They gave him electric shocks and kicked him in his chest. That’s why he regurgitated blood,” U MaungThaung Aye said.

Six young men from Kyaung Taung village’s voluntary funeral service group in Mrauk-U Township were detained by 540 Tatmadaw troop on March 12 while they were trying to send a sick man from another village to Mrauk-U hospital. Later, they all were charged under section 17 (1) (2) of the Counter Counter-Terrorism Law, including the sick man.

Colonel Win Zaw Oo, head of the military’s Western Region Command, rejected U MaungThaung Aye’s accusation.

“We don’t use torture. Because we suspect them, we put questions to them. When we finished our job, we transferred them to the police. We don’t do anything which doesn’t follow the rules,” Colonel Win Zaw Oo said.

U Maung Thaung Aye said that the seven accused are being detained in Sittwe prison. Sithu Aung has been vomiting blood for about a month and is receiving treatment with the approval of the head of the prison.

He said he was worried about his son’s health.

“His situation isn’t good. He throws up blood in the morning without any coughing,” U MaungThaung Aye said. 

According to data released by civil society groups, up to 15 people have died while being detained and questioned by the Tatmadaw in Arakan State this year.