Defence witnesses to testify next in case of Taungup philanthropist accused of unlawful association

By DMG 18 Jan 2022

DMG Newsroom
18 January 2022, Sittwe

Defence witnesses will be examined during the next court hearing in the case of Ko Aung Win Naing from Arakan State’s Taungup town, who has been charged on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army (AA), according to his lawyer U Aung Kyi Naing. 

Ko Aung Win Naing, chairperson of the Moe Pyinnyar Dana Philanthropic Association in Taungup town, appeared in court on January 17 and multiple witnesses for the defence are due to be examined on January 27, U Aung Kyi Naing said. 

Ko Aung Win Naing was arrested by military personnel on June 5, 2021, near Phone Nyo Taung checkpoint on the Taungup-Thandwe road. Captain Kyaw Zin Oo has opened the case against him under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act. 

A Taungup Township police officer has also brought a charge against him for allegedly driving an unregistered vehicle, under Section 8 of the Export and Import Law. 

“The case opened under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act has been officially charged at the court. The case alleging driving of an unregistered vehicle is under examination. The case has not been officially charged,” U Aung Kyi Naing said. 

Ko Aung Win Naing has been detained at Taungup Township police station for the past several months. His wife Daw Twe Tar Soe told DMG that the family is facing financial difficulties as her detained husband had to visit a health clinic after experiencing chest pain. 

“He has been arrested for about eight months though he did nothing wrong. I have two children. And, I have to send food for him twice a day. His health is poor. So, I have to buy medicines for him. I have many challenges,” she said. 

More than 200 people were arrested on suspicion of having illegal ties to the Arakan Army and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law or Unlawful Associations Act during a two-year military-AA conflict in Arakan State from 2018 to 2020. 

Myanmar’s military regime has withdrawn some of these cases since it removed the Arakan Army from its list of terrorist organisations on March 11, 2021. But prosecutions are proceeding in several notable cases, including that of Ko Aung Win Naing.