Eight more people have been arrested in Arakan State on suspicion of being involved with the Arakan Army (AA) said the police chief of Kuakytaw Township in Arakan State.
Those arrested were from Pinlon and Kalar-Chaung villages, near to where fighting broke out between the Burma Army and AA forces. Two neighbourhood administrative officers were among those arrested according to a police spokesman.
The authorities arrested the eight suspects after they found out that they had attended an AA meeting in the area of Kalar-Chaung Village.
The police chief said: “We arrested the people because they were members or supporters of the AA., or involved with the AA. The first 23 people were put on trial under section 17/1 and section 17/2. If they are found guilty under section 17/1 they will be sentenced to three years in jail, if they are found guilty under Section 17/2 they will be sentenced to five years imprisonment.”
The leaders are being tried under section 17/2 while the less senior people are being tried under Section 17/1.
Among arrested people, 12 were arrested during fighting between the Burma Army and the AA. The rest were arrested elsewhere.
The suspects were arrested because the police had evidence that they participated in AA military training.
The suspect’s family members were not allowed to meet up with them whilst the cases against them were being drawn up. The 20 suspects who have already had charges drawn up against them and who are being prosecuted in court will have the opportunity to meet their families soon, said the Chief of Kyauktaw Police Station.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
