Ruling in case of three Kyauktaw men again deferred

By Admin 15 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
15 August 2023, Kyauktaw

A ruling in the case of three Kyauktaw men charged with incitement was again deferred on Tuesday, this time for the 12th time, according to family members.

The Kyauktaw Township Court postponed the ruling until August 29, saying the judge was not present, said family members.

“I am struggling without my husband to support our children for their education and health. It is not fair for us,” said Daw Khin Hla Zan, the wife of Ko Zaw Win.

Ko Zaw Win from Pyi Taw Thar Ward in Kyauktaw town; Ko Zaw Moe Htet from Pan Phe Village; and motorbike taxi driver U Kyaw Than Maung from Khaung Toke Village, were charged on June 30, 2022.

The court was expected to hand down a ruling on March 28 of this year, but it has repeatedly deferred the verdict in the months since.

“We have suffered from repeated deferral of the trial. If they are innocent, they should be released. We don’t know when they will hand down the ruling. It has been more than one year since they were charged. My son did nothing wrong to be put in jail,” said U San Hla Kyaw, the father of Ko Zaw Moe Htet.

The Arakan Army (AA) abducted three junta personnel in Kyauktaw on June 20, 2022. Following the abduction, the Myanmar military briefly detained dozens of Kyauktaw residents the following day. Three Kyauktaw residents including Ko Zaw Win were subsequently charged.

According to a DMG tally, around 50 people were arrested and charged under the Unlawful Associations Act and/or Section 505 of the Penal Code in Arakan State during the latest fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) for allegedly having ties to the AA.

While some cases have been heard, courts have repeatedly postponed rulings. In some cases, plaintiffs and prosecution witnesses have failed to show up, delaying trials.