The Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)’s deputy information officer Khaing Myo Tun, who has been detained in Sittwe Prison in the Arakan State since 25 July, 2016, has been taken to court 20 times but his case still has not been heard yet so it seems like an act of human rights violation against Khaing Myo Tun, Daw Kyawt Sein, chairperson of Rakhine Alintagar Activists’ Group, said.
Khaing Myo Tun was taken to court on 1 March but the plaintiff did not come so he was taken back to prison without his case being heard.
“The witnesses have arrived to testify for Khaing Myo Tun, but the plaintiff – the Burma Army – didn’t come so they couldn’t testify. I see this as an act of human rights violation against Khaing Myo Tun by the Burma Army. They should either hand down the verdict or release him. But they don’t hand down the verdict and they don’t release it. They shouldn’t prolong the time. This is human rights violation,” she claimed when she was interviewed by Narinjara News.
Khaing Myo Tun was detained for his alleged role in the release of a statement by the ALP’s Information Department on 24 April, 2016. He has been charged at Sittwe Township Court with Section 505 (b) and (c) for ‘making the Burma Army loses its esteem’.
In the statement released by the ALP’s Information Department, the Burma Army was accused of committing human rights violations including forcibly recruiting civilians as porters and torturing them during the ongoing war between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Burma Army.
Khaing Myo Tun was arrested on 25 July, 2016 for his alleged role in releasing the statement.
“This is the 20th time Khaing Myo Tun has been taken to court but he was taken back to prison because the officials from the plaintiff’s side didn’t come,” an ALP military commander said, on condition of anonymity.
The next court hearing for Khaing Myo Tun is scheduled on 11 March.
