Thandwe court sentences four men to three years in prison for AA ties

By Admin 30 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
30 November 2023, Thandwe

Four residents of Thandwe Township, Arakan State, were sentenced to three years in prison under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act on November 29.

The Thandwe Township Court sentenced Ko Win Maung Maung Phyo, a senior clerk from the Thandwe District General Administration Department, U Sein Thaung, U Win Maung and U Khin Maung Aye to three years in prison under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act on Wednesday.

“We were not informed about the court hearing yesterday. We found out about the court hearing when a lawyer told us [about the hearing],” said a female family member of Ko Win Maung Maung Phyo.

Ko Win Maung Maung Phyo was sued under Section (1) of the Unlawful Associations Act and Section 505(a) of the Penal Code on October 7, 2022. Ko Phyo Maung Maung has already been sentenced to two years in prison under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code.

The military’s Ngapali-based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 55 arrested the four on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army (AA) in November 2022. An army officer from LIB No. 55 filed lawsuits against the four residents under the Unlawful Associations Act and Section 505(a) of the Penal Code.

Family members said they expected that the four men would be released since they had nothing to do with AA.

“I thought they would be released. We feel sad as they were jailed. As family members, what else can we do but be sad?” said a family member of U Sein Thaung.

Eight residents of Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State, who were arrested on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army during the 2022 fighting, were sentenced to three years in prison under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code on November 23.

There are 128 people in Arakan State who were charged under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act or Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, according to a DMG tally.