Narinjara News, 27 July 2022

The Paletwa districtjudge of Chin State has gone missing without any contact for five daysafter he was threatened by the military council, said a reliable source toNarinjara News on Tuesday.

The 50-year-oldjudge U Maung Maung Thein heard the appeal of local social worker Tin Tun Aung,who was sentenced to three years in prison for defaming the State, on 20 Julyand reduced the prison term to two years.

Accordingto family sources, on 7 April, Paletwa township court of Chin State hassentenced Ko Tin Tun Aung, a social worker and government health worker, tothree years in prison under section 505 (a) of the defamation act for speaking tomedia over hoisting a white flag in a Paletwa-based military battalion.

After that, Tin Tun Aung's family submitted an appeal to district court to reduce the prison term. On July 20, the Paletwa district judge U Maung Maung Thein heard the appeal and reduced the prison term to two years.

Because of thedecision, the military council expressed dissatisfaction over reduce of prison term and allegedlythreatened the judge. Tin Tun Aung was convicted following a complaint bythe LIB (289)battalion based in Paletwa. 

A local from Paletwa said, "On July 20 at 11:00 pm, a military column entered at his residence inthe Paletwa township court premises and threatened the judge. Since then he had gone missing."

Maybe he was arrested by the army or ran away to escape the militaryatrocities, revealed the local.

Meanwhile, thejudge’s cellphone remains switched off. Narinjara News is looking for portable information about thejudge whose family is now worried about him.