Terrorism charge brought against brother of Taungup official facing legal trouble

The younger brother of a local official in Taungup Township was taken in for questioning by Taungup police on the afternoon of May 25 and has been charged under section 50(i) of the Counter-Terrorism Law.

By Myo Myint Zaw 25 May 2020

Myo Myint Zaw| DMG
25 May Taungup 

The younger brother of a local official in Taungup Township was taken in for questioning by Taungup police on the afternoon of May 25 and has been charged under section 50(i) of the Counter-Terrorism Law. 

U Sithu Kyaw Zan aka Ko Michael was remanded into custody by the Taungup Township Court later that same day. Section 50(i) covers “terrorist bombings” and carries with it a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. 

His elder brother U Zeya Kyaw, chair of the Taungup Township Development Affairs Committee, and two other people were charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law and remanded into custody on May 11. When their families inquired about the case against the three men on May 25 as their remand was due to expire, the Taungup Township police chief said they were released from the previous charge but remained in detention on another charge, family members told DMG. 

DMG sought details from the Taungup Township police regarding the case against U Sithu Kyaw Zan, as well as the ongoing legal imbroglio involving U Zeya Kyaw and the two others, but police there said they could not comment on specifics because the cases were being handled directly by authorities in Nay Pyi Taw.