Delays continue in terrorism trials of Arakanese villagers

By DMG 23 Apr 2021

DMG Newsroom
23 April 2021, Ponnagyun

The trials of Kyaukseik and Lekka villagers who were charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law continued as scheduled on Friday, but the court did not conduct any formal hearing of the cases.

Myanmar’s military arrested 38 people from Kyaukseik village in Ponnagyun Township in April 2020. It subsequently released 33 of the villagers, but charged the five others under Section 50(j) and 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army (AA).

A court hearing on Friday was postponed as the final prosecution witness has yet to testify, said lawyer U Kyaw Nyunt Maung. The court planned to hear him through a commissioner as he is unable to come to the Sittwe District Court to testify.

“The court didn’t hear anything today because a prosecution witness has yet to testify. Questions from both prosecution and defence lawyers have been sent and the witness will be heard by the commissioner. But we have not yet received a reply. So the court hearing has to be postponed,” said U Kyaw Nyunt Maung. “Only after his testimony is received will the court be able to proceed with the case.”

The five have been on trial for a year, and frequent postponement of the trial has imposed a financial burden on relatives of the accused, said Daw Ni Ni Aye, the mother of defendant Ko Nyi Nyi Aung.

“We are not well-off. It is hard for us to attend every hearing. It has been postponed again,” she said.

The court has also postponed hearings in the case of residents of Lekka village in Mrauk-U Township as prosecution witnesses failed to appear at a hearing on Friday, said family members of the accused.

The Lekka villagers were arrested in April 2019 — also on suspicion of having ties to the AA — and charged under Sections 50(a), 50(j), 52(a) and 54 of the Counter-Terrorism Law.

“We want the trial wrapped up in the shortest possible time. We family members can no longer afford to attend the trial while struggling even to make ends meet,” said Daw Thein Ma Yay, the wife of one of the accused, U Khin Maung Soe.

The next hearings are set for April 29.