Myo Myint Zaw - The Thandwe Township Court on June 16 remanded four men including the chair of the Taungup Township Development Affairs Committee and the vice chair of the Arakan National Party for Taungup Township, according to lawyer U Tin Nyo.

The ANP vice chair for Taungup Township, U Wai Thaung, the chair of the Taungup Township Development Affairs Committee U Zeyar Kyaw, his younger brother U Sithu Kyaw Zan, and Taungup Township Development Affairs Committee member U San Ngwe were charged under Sections 50(a) and 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law.

“They have been held in remand in police custody. I don’t know exactly why they were charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law,” U Tin Nyo said.

The four men were arrested last month and were initially held on remand at the Taungup Township Court. They were then taken to Yangon by military plane and were detained at Aung Thabyay, an interrogation facility in Mingaladon Township, according to the defendants.

“We did nothing wrong. We wouldn’t need to worry about our fate if the judicial pillar could act independently,” U Wai Thaung said.

The four accused were held on a second remand at the North Okkalapa Township Court in Yangon. They were then brought to Thandwe town on June 2.

The four men were remanded until June 30 on the Counter-Terrorism Law charges, according to the accused.