Court postpones decision on Paletwa man’s appeal of three-year sentence for incitement

By DMG 15 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
15 July 2022, Paletwa, Chin State 

The Matupi District Court in Chin State on Friday reportedly postponed delivering a final ruling in the appeal of Ko Tin Tun Aung, a resident of neighbouring Paletwa Township who has been sentenced to three years in prison for incitement. 

Both sides argued whether the verdict should be amended or not during the most recent hearing on June 3. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for July 20 because the judge was said to be busy this week, according to Ko Min Aung, an elder brother of Ko Tin Tun Aung. 

“The court is expected to deliver a final verdict during the next hearing after Martyrs’ Day [on July 19],” he added. 

Ko Tin Tun Aung filed an appeal with the Matupi District Court on May 13, seeking a reduction in his three-year sentence, which was handed down on April 5. 

“We filed an appeal to reduce his sentence of three years in prison. He did nothing wrong and should not be sentenced to three years in prison. We hope that when the final verdict is delivered, his sentence will be reduced,” Ko Min Aung told DMG. 

Ko Tin Tun Aung was arrested on December 28 after telling the Arakan State-based media outlet Western News that a white flag had been seen flying over a hill where a military battalion was stationed in Paletwa Township, Chin State. Ko Tin Tun Aung was charged with incitement under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code by Captain Tun Tun Naing from the Myanmar military on March 17. 

The Paletwa Township Court sentenced Ko Tin Tun Aung to three years in prison with hard labour on April 5, and he is currently being held at Sittwe Prison.