Taungup activist’s next court hearing to argue whether to indict on terrorism charges

By DMG 28 Feb 2022

DMG Newsroom
28 February 2022, Taungup 

All nine prosecution witnesses in the case of the Taungup Youth Network’s chair, Ko Min Ko Oo, have been examined and the next court hearing will see arguments on whether he should be officially charged or not, said lawyer Daw Theingi Maung. 

He has been charged for affiliation with the People’s Defence Force (PDF), and at a meeting to discuss case management procedure, it was decided to complete the trial within 110 days. 

The next court hearing has been scheduled for March 10, said Daw Theingi Maung. 

Ko Min Ko Oo was arrested on December 14, 2021, for allegedly providing financial aid to the PDF, with Police Captain Zaw Lat from the Taungup police station opening a case against the defendant under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law. 

Daw Theingi Maung said the accusations against Ko Min Ko Oo lacked legal basis. 

“I will argue at the next court hearing that his case should not be officially charged because the evidence and statements in the case do not show that he provided financial aid to the PDF,” she said. 

At least 10 people have been arrested in Arakan State on suspicion of having ties to the PDF. 

Among them, the author Min Di Par from Mrauk-U Township’s Pan Maw village was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour by the Mrauk-U District Court on February 25, after he was charged under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law.