November 23, 2022. (Narinjara)

A Military Council-controlled court sentenced a localadministrative officer in charge of100 houses and a local man from Paletwa Township in Chin State to 3 years in prison for sedition under Section 505(A)on November 21.

Those sentenced are U Maung Win (60), the 100-house-groupelder of Myoma Ward in Paletwa andU Maung Me Kyawt (57), both are Rakhine men.

Both were sentenced to 3 years in prison by the PaletwaTownship Court on November 21 andare currently detained at the Paletwa Myoma Police Station.

Family members of U Maung Me Kyawt said they are veryworried because he has fallen illas a result of military interrogation, and because of his denial of access to receive his medication while indetention.

“Since being sentenced to prison, he is no longer allowed tosee family members. That is why weare very worried. We want to provide medical attention for him if at all possible. We are worried that hewill die in custody. The verdict has beenpassed, so we can’tdo anything now. We can only hope that he returns to us alive. It would be great if he was released inan amnesty”, a family member said.

Both those who received jail sentences make a living fromhillside farming in Paletwa andhave no connection with the Arakan Army (AA), their family members claimed.

They were arrested in early June by Military Council troopsat their homes and taken to the Paletwa-based 289th Battalion.

The two were interrogated at the battalion to see if theyhad any connections with AA. After that, they were charged under Section505(A) of sedition, and the Military actedas the prosecutor.

On October 6, U Chit San, an elderly man from Paletwa wasalso sentenced to 3 years inprison for sedition under Section505(A).

Currently, a significant number of Paletwa residents,including education staff, have been arrested by the Military Council forallegedly having links with AA, and some ofthem have been charged under Article 17(1) of unlawful associations act.