In Karenni State, More than 100 cases were filed with the Karenni State Interim Judiciary Court in 2025, with drug-related and violent offenses accounting for the largest proportion, according to the 2025 annual court report released on February 23.

The report states that a total of 126 new complaints were submitted during the year, in addition to 36 cases carried over from the previous year. Altogether, 151 cases were adjudicated in 2025, while 11 cases remain under trial.

Chief Justice Khu Poe Reh of the Karenni State Supreme Court told Kantarawaddy Times that “the high number of drug-related cases highlights weaknesses in the enforcement of the rule of law, as well as the widespread use and trafficking of narcotics within the state.”

Of the total cases filed during the year, drug-related offenses accounted for 33 percent, making them the most common. Violent crimes accounted for 25 percent, making them the second most prevalent. Other cases included rape (9 percent), theft (5 percent), fraud (4 percent), murder (3 percent), human trafficking (1 percent), and other offenses (20 percent), according to the report.

The Chief Justice, Khu Poe Reh, emphasized that reducing drug-related crimes in the state requires stronger and more comprehensive enforcement of the rule of law.

“To effectively reduce drug-related crimes, we must strengthen the rule of law in a coordinated manner. Ensuring the rule of law is not the responsibility of the IEC alone. All relevant stakeholders within Karenni State, including the various revolutionary forces and allied groups, must work collaboratively. Only through coordinated efforts can the rule of law be upheld in accordance with legal standards and the public be properly protected” he stated.

During the year, the interim judiciary sentenced 253 individuals. Of those convicted, 71 percent received prison terms of less than three months, 10 percent received sentences of less than six months, 18 percent were sentenced to less than one year, and 1 percent received prison terms exceeding one year.

In addition, the court confiscated assets including more than 8.2 million kyats in seized funds, over 5.6 million kyats in fines, 20 mobile phones, six motorcycles, and one walkie-talkie communication device, all of which were transferred to the public treasury, according to the annual report.