Testimony taken in unlawful association case against dozens of Sittwe residents

By Admin 27 Sep 2024

DMG Newsroom
27 September 2024, Sittwe

The plaintiff and prosecution witnesses in the case against 40 residents from Mingan Ward in Sittwe, who have been charged under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act for allegedly having ties to the Arakkha Army (AA), appeared before the Sittwe Township Court on Friday.

The Mingan Ward defendants were arraigned at the Sittwe Township court on September 27 and the judge examined the plaintiff and two prosecution witnesses, said sources close to the families of the accused.

"The judge examined the plaintiff and two prosecution witnesses. The plaintiff is the head of Mingan police station and the two prosecution witnesses were the ward administrator and a 100-household head," said a woman close to the families of the accused.

Junta troops raided Mingan Ward on June 16, blindfolding and detaining around 200 residents. The regime subsequently charged 40 of them.

"My husband and two relatives were among those arrested and prosecuted by the regime. They are not guilty and have no links with any organisations. My husband makes a living as a sidecar driver. I am also worried that innocent people will be found guilty and imprisoned," said a local woman in Mingan Ward.

The regime has tightened security in Sittwe, and also bars residents from leaving the town. It carries out surprise checks on households on the pretext of unregistered guest inspections. Most of those detained in June were either prosecuted or released after bribing junta officials.

A court inside Sittwe Prison sentenced 234 Byaing Phyu villagers prosecuted for their alleged ties to the AA to three years in prison and imposed a fine of K500 each under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act and Section 188 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in August and early September.

The regime arrested at least 700 residents in Sittwe in the two months from May 1 to June 30, later releasing about 300 of those detainees, according to a DMG tally.