Warrant against AA’s leaders yet to meet approval

19 Jul 2019

Khaing Roe La | DMG

19 July, Sittwe

The Sittwe district court cannot begin a legal trial against twelve villagers and five top leaders from the Arakan Army under the Counter-Terrorism law because the arrest warrant isn’t approved, Daw Aye Nu Sein, lawyer for the case, told the DMG.

The district court scheduled a court hearing for 18 July to examine the case of the twelve accused villagers. An excuse was given in court that police could not submit the arrest warrant to the court because it does not have sufficient authority to arrest the AA’s top leaders, so the court cannot start the trial.

“The case includes twelve villagers, six of them are from Kyaung Taung village, other defendants are from Chaung Thit, Aing  Wun, Sittwe San Pya and Kyauktan villages.

Their case cannot be examined because the arrests for the remaining accused have yet to approved. Today police stated to court officials that the arrest warrant cannot be approved,” Daw Aye Nu Sein said.

The court extended remand for the case and scheduled the next court hearing on 1 August, she said.

Twelve villagers, the AA’s Commander-in-Chief Maj-Gen Twan Mrat Naing, deputy chief Brig-Gen Nyo Twan Aung, Colonel Kyaw Han, Information Officer Khaing Thukha and San Shwe Maung have been accused under section 52 (a) of the Counter-Terrorism law.

Since the complaint said that the AA coerced the twelve accused to commit acts of violence, the AA’s top leaders are also complicit. 

Police Captain Aung Thura from Mrauk-U Myoma police station prosecuted them at Mrauk-U township court, but decided to move the case to Sittwe district court for security reasons.