A total of 43 civil society organizations (CSOs) including the Athan, Domyay Network, Arakan Youth Generation Network, Rakhine Ethnic Congress and the Generation Wave, issued a joint statement on January 10th, calling on the new government to withdraw the charges against human rights activists.
More than 60 people have been charged for peaceful protesting against human rights violations in Arakan State and more than 20 have been arrested and sentenced according to the Athan Group.
During more than four years of the NLD-led government, the number of people charged under the freedom of expression law has reached 1,050 people. The number of cases has reached 539, according to the Athan Group’s report.
The police arrested three youth including Ko Than Hla (aka) Ko Min Barchay from Arakan Youth New Generation Network in Sittwe for staging a campaign to mark the UN International Human Rights Day which falls on December 10th. They have been charged under Section 19 (a) of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law.
Ko Sithu, General Secretary of Domyay Network said: “It is the violation of human rights. International Human Rights Day is held across the country and the globe. It is an important opportunity for rights, justice, human dignity and equality of every person to be celebrated. These arrests amount to oppressing ethnic people. The current trend runs against the emergence of a federal system and democratic norms.”
The CSO’s all over Myanmar deplore the arrests of citizens who welcome the human rights day, and query the perverse actions of the NLD government that appears not to welcome this world-wide UN event.
On October 19th, 2020, the police arrested Ko Kyaw Naing Htay, Ko U Than Naing, Ko Myat Soe Win and Ko Kaung Tun from the Arakan State Students Union, for the protest against the government. They have been charged under Section 505 (b) of the State Defamation Act.
Among them, Ko Kyaw Naing Htay and Ko U Than Naing are facing the charges filed under Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law, for the protest against the human right violations in Arakan State, in front of Arakan State government office in Sittwe on September 9th.
Ma Ei Ei Moe, General Secretary of the Generation Wave said: “More human right violations are found in the conflict-hit regions. Activists working for the protection of such violations are facing human right violations and oppression. It is found that our country’s rule of law is weak.The government’s decision to charge the activists is the violation of democracy, human rights and the oppression of ethnic rights."
