Myanmar’s military has dropped terrorism charges against 10 ethnic Rakhines, including relatives of the top commander of the Arakan Army, setting them free after nearly two years in custody awaiting trial, a lawyer representing them told RFA.

The move to free the detainees, including siblings of Arakan Army (AA) Commander-in-Chief Maj. Gen. Tun Myat Naing, follows the removal of the ethnic fighting force in western Myanmar from a state terror designation list on March. 11.

Eight of the Rakhine activists -- including Aung Myat Kyaw, a brother of AA chief Tun Myat Naing -- were arrested by Singapore police in July 2019 and deported to Myanmar and charged under the Anti-Terrorism Law. Separately, Tun Myat Naing's sister and brother-in-law were arrested at Yangon International Airport in October 2019 and charged under the same law.