In Sittwe, the capital of Arakan (Rakhine) State, hundreds of civilians have been charged by the military junta under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act, but they cannot find lawyers to defend them.
Most lawyers based in Sittwe have relocated to Yangon and liberated areas to escape the escalating tensions in the region, leaving only a little more than 10 lawyers in the town.
Legal aid groups that provide free support for those unjustly arrested and prosecuted are not present in Sittwe. Additionally, the remaining lawyers in Sittwe do not dare to accept cases where they must counter the junta's prosecution due to concerns for their own safety.
"There are almost no free legal aid groups in Sittwe, and under the current circumstances, the number of lawyers eager to counter the junta is nearly non-existent. There is a possibility that they themselves will end up on the junta's radar,” a Sittwe-based lawyer noted.
Several hundred people arrested in Amyintkyun Village, Byainphyu Village, and some downtown Sittwe wards have been charged under Article 17(1) by the junta.
A family member of one of the defendants said that although those charged attend weekly court hearings, they do not receive any systematic or proper trial process.
"They are brought to court for hearings every week, but nothing happened. Family members are also not allowed to meet them. The detainees are often transported from prison to the court in jail trucks, but sometimes they are taken back to prison without being brought into the court,” he said. The families are urging for the immediate release of those who have been unjustly arrested.
An attorney emphasized that when defendants lack legal representation, they are denied the legal rights they deserve.
“Lawyers' expertise is essential in court proceedings. Most people are not familiar with the law and do not demand the rights they should have. The problem is that now there are no lawyers to represent them. There have been instances where people were unjustly jailed because they did not have lawyers,” he pointed out.
Since the resurgence of clashes in Arakan State in November, the junta has been conducting arbitrary arrests targeting the local population day and night, with follow-up prosecutions under various charges.
