Myanmar: two pro-democracy students, a teacher arrested
Event- Country
- Myanmar
- Initial Date
- Mar 2, 2022
- Event Description
A major students’ union has said it fears for the lives of two students and a teacher who were arrested in Mandalay last week for involvement in the movement against the junta.
Student activists Aung Myo Ko and Thiri Yadanar were detained on Wednesday evening along with Kyaw Zin Latt, a teacher taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) said.
A large number of soldiers raided Thiri Yadanar’s home in Amarapura Township to make the arrests, said the union member, who asked to remain anonymous. “They were arrested while the three of them were meeting at Thiri Yadanar’s house,” he said.
“I think they were tipped off by someone. Aung Myo Ko was beaten during his arrest. I heard the house was sealed off as well,” he added.
Aung Myo Ko is the chair of the Mandalay Education Degree College Student Union, while Thiri Yadanar is secretary of the ABFSU in upper Myanmar. Kyaw Zin Latt is a teacher at the Magway Tayar Middle School in Singu Township. The three are all in their 20s.
Before their arrests, they had been helping the families of activists detained at Obo Prison to send care packages to their loved ones, the ABSFU member said.
He added that the three are being interrogated at the Amarapura Township Police Station and that he was worried the military would falsely accuse them of being involved with the People's Defence Force (PDF) and file unfounded charges against them.
“They were only involved in the actions of the ABFSU,” he said. “They have no affiliations with the PDF at all. I heard anti-terrorism charges are going to be filed agaisnt them. We are very worried about their safety and for their lives.”.
Police and military officials could not be reached for comment.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Raid
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of expression
- Offline
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- Right to liberty and security
- Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Public Servant
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 21.980828992968252
Longitude: 96.08274363616493
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 2 March 2022, Thiri Yadanar, Aung Myo Ko and Kyaw Zin Latt, pro-democracy students and teacher, were arrested by the police in a house raid for joining the CDM and pro-democracy movement in Mandalay, Myanmar.