Kyaukphyu, Paletwa detainees appear in court

16 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
16 July 2022, Kyaukphyu 

Two villagers from Kyaukphyu Township detained and charged with incitement under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code were brought to trial on Friday. 

Ko Sai Wunna Kyaw, 28, and Maung Tun Tun Zaw, 20, from Muyin village were detained by Myanmar’s military regime on June 24. Family members said they still do not know why the pair were charged with incitement. 

The two men were brought to trial on Friday at the Kyaukphyu Township Court, but the court did not hear from either the complainant or the defendants, and merely set July 29 as the date for the next court hearing, according to the brother of Ko Sai Wunna Kyaw. 

“They [junta soldiers] took them [the defendants], saying they had questions to ask them. But they have been prosecuted, which is unacceptable. It is unfair,” he said. 

Meanwhile, two detainees from Chin State’s Paletwa — U Maung Me Kyawt and the 10-household administrator of Myoma ward, U Maung Win — who were also charged with incitement under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code were brought to trial at the Paletwa Township Court on July 13. 

“The judge did not hear from anyone, and the next court hearing was scheduled for July 23. We could see them for around five minutes, said a relative of U Maung Win. 

Junta soldiers took the duo from their homes for questioning on June 8, and they were handed over to the Paletwa Township police station on June 29, according to the relative. 

U Maung Win appeared to be in good health, but U Maung Me Kyawt did not, said a relative of the latter.  

“Looking at his face, he didn’t seem to be fit,” said the relative. “His face was like a robot, and pale. His eyes were sunken. He said he is suffering from chest and back pains, and one of his arms can’t move. We can’t afford to hire a lawyer. We are completely at their [the regime’s] mercy.” 

Last month, the Arakan Army abducted at least 14 junta soldiers and police officers across a handful of townships in Arakan State. The ethnic armed group said it had seized the security personnel due to prior regime arrests of its members. 

In response, the regime detained dozens of residents, subsequently releasing only a portion of them. 

Civilian arrests became less common after the Arakan Army and Myanmar military agreed to an unofficial ceasefire in November 2020. In recent months, however, tensions between the two sides have been rising.