Nearly 500 NLD party members arrested since February 2021 coup

05 January 2022
Nearly 500 NLD party members arrested since February 2021 coup
(FILE) Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Photo: EPA

During the 11 months since the Myanmar military coup, when National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi and Vice chairman President Win Myint, together with a total of 649 party members, were arrested, only 146 members have been released so far.

The NLD central information committee recently announced that the remaining 489 party members are still in prisons across the country and 14 party members have been killed by the Military Council as of 1 January 2022.

A spokesperson for the Military Council, Deputy Minister of Information, Major General Zaw Min Tun, told RFA that there was no reason for the NLD members to be arrested per se, but only those involved in the NUG, CRPH and protests were detained.

Detainees were arrested and charged under various sections that could carry a long prison sentence such as Section 505 (a) and (b) of the Penal Code for incitement, Article 25 of the Disaster Management, Section 122 of the State Rebellion, Article 55 of the Anti-Corruption Act and the Import and Export Section 8.

State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has been charged in 11 cases and she was sentenced to four years in prison, reduced to two years by the Military Council on December 6. Karen State Chief Minister Nang Khin Htwe Myint has been sentenced to a total of 80 years in prison, one of the longest sentences.

According to the NLD announcement, eight NLD members were killed during the interrogation, five were killed in prison, with the total tally of deaths standing at 14. Among those who died in detention are Nyan Win, chairman of the Central Information Committee, Khin Maung Latt, a party member, and U Zaw Myat Lin, in charge of Suu Vocational Institute in Shwe Pyi Thar Township. Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the NLD Central Information Committee, died more than a month after his release from prison.

At present, 92 parliament members are still detained. In addition, there have been at least 86 military raids on NLD party offices in divisions and states, including the NLD headquarters. The personal homes of Hluttaw representatives and party supporters were looted and 77 party members' homes were sealed, according to the announcement by the NLD.

According to the NLD Central Information Committee, nearly 500 NLD members have been arrested so far, and there may be additional detainees belonging to the party who have yet to be accounted for by the NLD party.

NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi is due for another court hearing on 10 January.