Mrauk-U trio accused of incitement face additional charge under Unlawful Associations Act

16 Jan 2023

DMG Newsroom
16 January 2023, Mrauk-U

Three local men from Arakan State’s Mrauk-U Township who were charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, were slapped with an additional count under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act during a hearing on Monday, according to family members.

The three men — Ko Kyaw Win Hlaing and Ko Ko Nyunt from the town of Mrauk-U and Ko Pyae Sone Win from Tin Nyo Village — found out that they were charged with another count during the hearing on January 16.

“They were sued under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act, but they are not examined yet. I don’t know who is the plaintiff or how many witnesses there are in the case. They say that they are still sitting in a meeting about the case,” Ma Hla Mla Myint, the wife of Ko Kyaw Win Hlaing, told DMG.

Ko Kyaw Win Hlaing, Ko Ko Nyunt and Ko Pyae Sone Win were among several Mrauk-U residents detained by the regime after the Arakan Army (AA) abducted three security personnel in the town on June 21.

Captain Kyaw Kyaw Min from the military filed a lawsuit against the trio under Section 505(a), an incitement provision, at the Mrauk-U Township Court. Out of six prosecution witnesses in the incitement case, four had already been examined and the next hearing has been scheduled for January 24.

Family members said that the additional charges against the three men under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act are without basis.

“We heard that they were charged with another case at the court hearing. They were accused of having ties to the Arakan Army and providing financial assistance to the ethnic armed group. My son has no links with the AA,” said U Kyaw Nyunt, the father of Ko Ko Nyunt.

In a similar Mrauk-U case, former reporter Ko Mrat Thu Tun aka Ko Phoe Thiha was detained by the Myanmar military in September and subsequently charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. Ko Kyaw Zan Wai aka Ko Yin Hsot was charged under Section 505(a) as well, also in September.

Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act provides for imprisonment of not less than two years and not more than three years, and Section 505(a) of the Penal Code provides for imprisonment of up to three years.