Mizzima

The Union Supreme Court rejected special appeals against prison sentences for corruption by the former Mayor of Naypyitaw and the former Yangon Regional Social Affairs Minister.

Dr. Myo Aung, the former Naypyitaw Mayor, was convicted of receiving donations for election candidates during the election.

Naing Ngan Lin, the former Yangon Regional Social Affairs Minister, was convicted in five corruption cases for accepting bribes from businessmen whilst he was serving as the chairman of the Education Facilities Construction Tender Committee.

A lawyer said: “They forbid the special appeal. Nothing can be done after filing a special appeal.”

Both men served under the last National League for Democracy (NLD) government until it was ousted by the junta in the February 2021 coup. They had already tried appealing once before, but that appeal had also been rejected.

Since the coup until 7 June 2023, a total of 23,283 people have been arrested and of those 18,953 are still being detained, according to reports by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).