June Chronology 2018
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JUNE CHRONOLOGY 2018 Summary of the Farmers and land rights activists from Mandalay division attending a court hearing before their case was dismissed. Current Situation: 245 individuals are oppressed in Burma due to political activity: 39 political prisoners are serving sentences, are awaiting trial inside 48 prison, 158 are awaiting trial outside Accessed June 2018 © Ko Doe Gyi’s Facebook prison. WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK JUNE 2018 1 ACRONYMS ABFSU All Burma Federation of Student Unions BGP (Burma) Border Guard Police ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDP Internally Displaced Person KBC Kachin Baptist Convention KIA Kachin Independence Army MNHRC Myanmar National Human Rights Commission NLD National League for Democracy PAPPL Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law SEZ Special Economic Zone TNLA Ta’ang National Liberation Army 3MDG Three Millennium Development Goal Fund 2 JUNE 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS POLITICAL PRISONERS .................................................................. 4 ARRESTS ............................................................................................................................................ 4 CHARGES ............................................................................................................................................ 4 DETENTION………...………………………………………………………………………………………5 TRIALS ................................................................................................................................................ 5 SENTENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 8 CONDITIONS OF IMPRISONMENT .......................................................................................... 9 RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS .............11 LAND RIGHTS................................................................................................................................ 15 REFERENCES ...................................................................................20 3 JUNE 2018 POLITICAL PRISONERS Officer in the General Administration CHARGES Department for protesting against the destruction of new houses by the Education Officials File Defamation Government in Zeeoak New Ward, Pathein Charge Against Lawmaker Township, Mandalay Division. The General On June 4, education officials from Arakan Administration Department forbade State’s Education Department filed charges entering the land and building in Zeeoak against Than Maung Oo, a local lawmaker New Ward, but people kept building on the and Arakan National Party MP, for alleged land. The Administration Department online defamation over a social media post therefore organized with the City in which he heavily criticized the State. The Development Committee to destroy the charges specifically relate to a Facebook buildings, beginning on June 26. Authorities post Than Maung Oo published on June 2, in also destroyed the houses of some residents which he said that Arakan State was the who had not built on the forbidden land, so worst for education, economy, health care, they staged a protest. Police arrested five and the rule of law, and that it had the worst women participating in the protest. roads and the most unpopular State (28 June 2018 - The Voice/Burmese) Government in Burma. Than Maung Oo was then charged under Section 66 (d) of the Four Labor Activists Collecting Money Telecommunications Law in Sittwe. For IDPs Sued (6 June 2018 - RFA) (3 June 2018 - Four labor activists, including Naing Zaw RFA/Burmese) (8 June 2018 - Kyi Win and Myo Saw, were sued under RFA/Burmese) Section 188 of the Regional Law for collecting money for IDPs caught in the Civilian Charged for Shouting at Judge conflict in Kachin State on May 2, 2018. On June 14, Pyay Town No. (1) Police They were sued by the Kamaryut Township Station Commander, Police Lieutenant Administrator for leading 40 people in Aung Hlaing Win, filed lawsuit against Win collecting donations in front of the Hledan Haling for shouting out judges’ names in Center, as well as raising awareness of the front of the Pyay Township Court on June plight of Kachin IDPs. Only Naing Zaw Kyi 13. Pyay Township Deputy Judge, Zu Zan Win received the letter to give testimony at Min, claimed that his shouting affected the Kamaryut Town Police Station, so he went judges’ personal freedom and security. to the police station on June 26. (26 June 2018 - Eleven/Burmese) Win Hlaing has been protesting the lack of the rule of law in court by shouting the ARRESTS judges’ names during hearings held in Pyay Township Court since January 2017. (16 June 2018 - 7 Day Daily/Burmese) Aye Maung Supporter Arrested in Sittwe The police have arrested Aung Than Wai, a Five Female Protestors Arrested and Sued supporter of Aye Maung and a community in Pathein Township elder from Sittwe. When Narinjara News Five female protesters were sued under contacted Aung Than Wai on June 21, he Section 505 of the Penal Code by the Second confirmed that he had been arrested and he 4 JUNE 2018 was at No. 1 Police Station. He is facing two arrangements to meet him. The reporters charges; one under Section 66 (d) of the were then apprehended and interrogated Telecommunications Law, and another by Military officers. The reason for their under Section 10 of the Law Protecting the detention remains unclear. Following their Privacy and Security of Citizens. The first detention, the reporters could not be charge relates to posting a picture of Tin contacted until around 5:15pm. Myanmar Maung Swe, the Arakan State’s Government Now contacted the Myanmar Press Council, Secretary, under the title, ‘Who is the Deputy Minister of Information, Aung responsible for the Mrauk U Murder?’ Hla Tun, and the director general of the alongside a video file of the meeting with State Counsellor’s Office, Zaw Htay. The the Arakan State Government. Tin Maung journalists were reportedly released from Swe then filed charges against Aung Than the camp at about 5:30pm. They stated that Wai. Military personnel had threatened to charge them under the Official Secrets Act and The Sittwe Myoma Police chief informed asked them to promise not to disclose to the him that charges had been filed against him media their brief detention. when they met on the street, so he went to (20 June 2018 - Irrawaddy/Burmese) (23 the police station. Latest reports revealed June 2018 - The Voice/Burmese) (24 June that police were arranging to take Aung 2018 - Frontier Myanmar) (25 June 2018 - Than Wai to Sittwe Township Court before Irrawaddy) transporting him to Sittwe Prison after being remanded. TRIAL (22 June 2018 - BNI) DETENTION Court Moves Forward with Case Against Anti-War Activists On June 5, a former member of ABFSU, Than Myanmar Now Reporters Detailed at Htike, and current member of ABSFU, Nin Yegyi Military Camp Aung, had their cases heard in court. On June 23, Kay Zone Nway, Win Nandar and Phyo Thiha Cho, three Myanmar Now They were arrested and detained for reporters, were briefly detained in organizing a candlelit protest for IDPs on Ayeyarwady Region while reporting on the May 12. They were charged under Section alleged recruitment of Maung Thet Min 19 of PAPPL. It was announced that they Paing, a disabled child soldier. will receive their sentence on June 27, but the judge gave the two activists and the The first installment of the story, published complainant organization a final chance to on June 20, said he was recruited three enable to submit an appeal. The two men months ago and is receiving Military boycotted the Court, claiming that they do training in a camp in Ayeyarawady Region’s not believe in the judicial system. Yegyi Township. (28 June 2018 - Irrawaddy/Burmese) On the day of their arrest, the reporters had High Court Refuses to Drop Charges interviewed Maung Thet Min Paing’s family Against Former ANP Politician Aye Maung and taken photographs outside Yegyi No 8 Arakan State’s high court has rejected an basic Military training camp. At around appeal to dismiss charges filed against Aye 3pm, they entered the camp with members Maung, a former ANP politician, for an of his family, who had made prior allegedly anti-Government speech he gave 5 JUNE 2018 in Rathedaung Township on January 15, Telecommunications Law, appeared in 2018. Dawbon Township Court for his third hearing. The first and second hearings had After a hearing on May 31, the defendant’s been adjourned due to the non-appearance lawyer announced the State High Court’s of the plaintiff. rejection of the appeal, which was made on April 28. The appeal had been based on the Successmore Being Yangon Trading Court’s decision to prosecute Aye Maung on Company filed the charge against Ye Myo several charges for one offense, which is Thant in September 2017 after he shared against the law. information about its executives and multi- level marketing activities on his social Aye Maung and Wai Hin Aung are both media page. He was released on bail after he facing trial under Section 17 (1) of the was charged. Unlawful Associations Act, as well of Sections 121 and 505 of the Penal Code. The Successmore uses multi-level marketing to Sittwe Tract Court did decide to hear all the sell cosmetics, medicine and health men’s charges together at Sittwe Tract supplement products from Thailand. On Court on June 20, which their lawyers had June 13, Ye Myo Thant said that he applied for in March 2018. The decision was campaigns against multi-level marketing made as their