Court sentences two Thandwe men accused of terrorism to three years in prison

By DMG 20 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
20 May 2022, Thandwe 

A local court sentenced two men from Arakan State’s Thandwe Township who have been accused of ties to the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF) to three years in prison under the Counter-Terrorism Law on Friday, according to a lawyer involved. 

Captain Nay Zaw Htet from Ngapali-based Battalion No. 55 opened the case against defendants Ko Sein Chit and Ko Ye Naing Oo under Section 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law, after they were arrested on October 9, 2021, and accused of having ties to the PDF. Friday’s verdict was delivered by the Thandwe Township Court. 

“They were sentenced to three years in prison under Section 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law and they are entitled to parole from their sentences. The duo have been held for almost one year,” said Daw Theingi Maung, a lawyer representing the defendants. 

DMG attempted to contact family members about the sentencing of Ko Sein Chit and Ko Ye Naing Oo, but they could not be reached. 

Myanmar’s military regime has charged at least 10 people from Arakan State’s Taungup, Thandwe and Mrauk-U townships for allegedly providing financial aid to the PDF, or otherwise having illegal ties to the anti-junta armed group. 

The author Ko Min Di Par from Mrauk-U Township and three women from Thandwe Township were sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labour under Section 50(j) of the Counter Terrorism Law. 

The guilty verdicts and sentencing for Ko Sein Chit and Ko Ye Naing Oo brings the total number of people imprisoned in Arakan State on suspicion of having illegal links with the anti-regime group to at least seven.