- Web Master
- December 13, 2022
Ni Min Htun
Narinjara News, 17 May 2020
Six men from Kyauk Tan
were released Friday afternoon, following a court hearing in Sittwe after
spending over a year in detention. They had charges under the
Counter-Terrorism Law Sections 52 (a)and 50 (i) which have now been dropped.
The freed men, all from
Kyauk Tan village, Rathetaung Township. include Maung Htun Min Naing (20),
Maung Nyi Nyi Htwe (22), Maung Maung Naing (28), Maung Oo Myint Htun (27),
Maung Soe Kyaw (27) and Maung Nyein Shwe (20).
Sittwe District Attorney
U Soe Hlaing who represented the men in court, explained that they are no
longer liable to legal action, their charges have been dropped and they have
been released.
In the first week of May
2019 the men had been arrested by the Tatmadaw at Kyauk Tan village school.
According to one of the released Ko Maung Nyein Shwe the men were interrogated,
beaten and faced difficulties in meeting basic needs during their time in
detention.
“They arrested and
interrogated us. They asked us if we had connections to the AA. They
blindfolded me and tied my hands behind my back and beat us. During our time in
prison it was difficult to survive,” he said.
Daw Ye Ye Soe explained
that the family faced all kinds of difficulties and financial problems
following the arrest of her son, Maung Nyein Shwe.
“When he was arrested
there were so many problems. It was difficult to cover the travel expenses to
come to Sittwe to visit him. Just covering the basic needs was
difficult. When we came to visit him in prison we couldn’t support
him the way we would have wanted too. He has been locked up now for
a long time and hasn’t been able to work, so money is a problem. There’s
no such as thing as an innocent civilian when it comes to anything that
concerns the AA. I don’t want anyone else to suffer like they have” she said.
Amongst the group who
were arrested in Kyauk Tan, two were under the age of 18. They have
been released on bail but continue to face charges.
On May 2, eight people
were shot dead and a further seven wounded after Tatmadaw troops opened fire on
a group of people in Kyauk Tan School. The incident happened while the Tatmadaw
was holding and interrogating over 200 villagers at the school.