Court postpones hearing for six Taungup men accused of terrorism due to lack of prosecution witnesses

By DMG 03 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
3 June 2022, Taungup 

A court postponed the latest hearing in the case of six Taungup residents who were arrested and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law in connection with the Arakan Army (AA) due to the absence of prosecution witnesses, according to a lawyer involved. 

The plaintiffs in the case had been slated to attend the hearing via video link on June 2, but were unable to do so, said lawyer U Tin Nyo. 

“The court has made arrangements for the prosecution witnesses from the Myanmar military to attend the hearing via video conferencing. The court summoned the plaintiffs to testify as witnesses at the next hearing,” the lawyer added. 

The Myanmar military took nine residents from their homes in Lamu, Kamar and Sarpyin villages in Taungup Township on June 2, 2020, and filed a lawsuit against some of them under the Counter-Terrorism Law. 

Officers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 27 and LIB No. 51, under the military’s Western Command, filed lawsuits against six villagers under the Counter-Terrorism Law. 

The six Taungup residents have been facing trial for about two years, but two prosecution witnesses, an investigator and one defence witness remain to be examined, according to the lawyer. 

Delays in the case have been detrimental to those detained, said Ma Than Than Sint, the younger sister of detainee Ko Than Naing. 

“The detainees have been on trial for about two years. As a result, we have suffered a lot. We have to spend a lot of money to attend the court hearing,” she added. 

More than 70 people are currently facing trial and remain behind bars in various prisons for alleged AA ties, according to data compiled by local civil society organisations in Arakan State.