Detained former NLD MP requests in-person court hearings rather than teleconference

By DMG 11 Mar 2021

DMG Newsroom
11 March 2021, Taungup 

Three members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Arakan State’s Taungup Township including former state lawmaker U Min Aung have submitted to a court that they would prefer to appear in-person to testify, instead of video conferencing, due to telecommunications problems. 

U Min Aung and his NLD colleagues were arrested after a demonstration against the military dictatorship in Taungup Township on February 9. 

“When we asked U Min Aung [what he wanted as his defence], he said he wanted the court to investigate because of the inconvenience of online communication. When he applied to the court [for in-person hearings], the court ruled that it was inconvenient for the court to issue a personal order [allowing it],” said Daw Theingi Maung, a lawyer representing U Min Aung. 

Former NLD lawmaker U Min Aung and three other party members were arraigned at the Taungup Township Court on March 10, according to their lawyers. 

The court ruled that U Min Aung’s case will continue to be heard only via video conferencing due to security concerns, the lawyer added. 

Daw Theingi Maung said the case would be heard on March 19, and that the defendants would be questioned on that day.  

“The court ordered U Min Aung to be detained at the police station, but he is currently being held in military custody at the No. 544 Light Infantry Regiment. We want the detainees to be afforded due process under the law. I want the case to be heard in public, before the court,” said U Oo Nyunt Maung, a lawyer from Legal Remedy Group (Myanmar). 

U Min Aung, as well as the chairman of the Taungup Township NLD U Tin Thein Aung, and party member Ko Thant Zin Phyo were charged under Section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law and Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. In addition, Ko Chit Maung Maung was sued under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. 

Police Captain Zaw Latt from Taungup Township police station, and Daw Myint Thu Thin, staff officer of the Thandwe District Department of Disaster Management, are acting as plaintiffs in the case.