Court to make ruling on prosecution of Thandwe duo next week

By DMG 03 Mar 2022

DMG Newsroom
3 March 2022, Thandwe

The case of two men from Arakan State’s Thandwe Township who have been accused of ties to the anti-regime People’s Defence Force (PDF) will be examined for basis at their next court hearing, according to their lawyer.

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.

The head of Thandwe Myoma police station was examined as a witness during a March 3 court hearing at the request of the township legal officer. The next hearing has been scheduled for March 9, said Daw Theinhgi Maung, a lawyer for the defence.

“The court examined the commander of Thandwe Myoma police station as a witness. The two sides will argue whether the case should be charged officially or not during the hearing on March 9,” the lawyer explained.

The two defendants are social workers in Thandwe Township, and their alleged links to anti-regime forces are nothing more than unfounded accusations, their families say.

The 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 PDF.

Author Ko Min Di Par from Mrauk-U Township, who was arrested on suspicion of financing the PDF and charged under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labour on February 25.