Detained Arakanese singer faces terrorism charges

By Admin 11 Oct 2024

DMG Newsroom
October 11 2024, Sittwe

Myanmar's military regime opened a case against the detained Arakanese-Burmese singer Hsu Myat Htet under the Counterterrorism Law on Wednesday for allegedly funding armed groups, according to a source close to her.

"She is currently being interrogated at an interrogation centre. We still don't know under which article of the law she was charged," said the source.

Hsu Myat Htet was accused of having received 450 million kyats from a Facebook account based in central Myanmar, the source added.

The Counterterrorism Law carries a minimum of one year to life imprisonment or a fine depending on the charges.

The 40-year-old singer, a native of Arakan State's Manaung Town, was arrested at her house on Monday in Yangon, along with her 20-year-old niece.

The niece was released on Tuesday. Hsu Myat Htet is reportedly being held at a junta base in Yangon's Mayangone Township. She was arrested after an unknown person filed a complaint with the Tamwe Township police accusing her of supporting armed groups, said a fellow singer close to Hsu Myat Htet.

"Junta officials took her saying they had questions to ask. She has no ties with any organisation. She was only soliciting donations for flood victims," said the singer.

Hsu Myat Htet runs a traditional Arakanese clothing shop in Tamwe Township, Yangon.

Arakanese singers have called for the immediate release of Hsu Myat Htet, saying she has been wrongfully detained and charged.

As the regime last month declared the Brotherhood Alliance, a tripartite military alliance including the Arakkha Army (AA), to be terrorist organisations, Arakanese people in regime-controlled territories are increasingly at risk of being arrested and jailed, according to an Arakanese politician.

"The regime has labelled the AA as a terrorist organisation. So, it may arbitrarily arrest, prosecute and jail people in Arakan State over their alleged ties to the AA. This is the usual tactic of the regime. Arakanese people in junta-controlled areas must exercise caution," he said.

During the previous rounds of fighting in Arakan State, the regime arrested and prosecuted hundreds of Arakan State residents under the Unlawful Associations Act and the Counterterrorism Law for allegedly having ties to the AA.