Woman in Thandwe charged with terrorism for alleged anti-regime ties

By DMG 29 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
29 July 2022, Thandwe

Police arrested a woman from Thandwe, Arakan State, on July 27 and reportedly charged her under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law on suspicion of supporting the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF) and the affiliated National Unity Government (NUG).

The accused has been identified as Ma Shoon Sandar aka Day Day. She was arrested for allegedly engaging in incitement and propaganda with the aim of disrupting peace and stability via her “Day Day” Facebook account, reported junta-run state media.

“She was arrested by the police and a ward administrator for allegedly sharing a raffle to get funding for the People’s Defence Forces and the National Unity Government. She was sued under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law,” said a friend of Ma Shoon Sandar.

“She has asthma so we are worried about her health,” he added. “She used to share some posts on Facebook. … The arrest, for sharing a post on Facebook like this, is unnatural and the prosecution is also severe.”

Ma Shoon Sandar is reportedly being held at the Thandwe Myoma police station, with a preliminary court hearing scheduled for August 1.

Although substantive ties to the PDF, NUG and anti-coup Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) appear to be limited in Arakan State, some residents have been arrested and prosecuted for such alleged affiliations.

The military regime has charged more than 10 people from Arakan State’s Taungup, Thandwe and Mrauk-U townships for allegedly providing financial aid to the PDF and/or NUG, or otherwise having illegal ties to the anti-regime organisations. Among them, four women and one man were sentenced to 10 years in prison under Section 50(j) of the Counter Terrorism Law.