October 13, 2024
Four protest leaders from Yangon, Ko Zaw Lin Htut (Phoe Thar), Ko Aung Min Khine, Ma Mya Myint Zu, and Ma Hnin Ei Khine, have been transferred to Insein Prison after being arrested for leading an anti-junta protest. The protest, which took place on September 19, called for lowering commodity prices, repealing the conscription law, and rejecting military dictatorship.
The four were first brought to court for a hearing on October 11, though detailed information regarding their legal status is still being investigated. Following their arrest, the junta has been targeting other activists, including Ko Paing Phyo Min (De Yay), a leader of the Anti-Junta Alliance Yangon (AJAY), and activist Ko Shein Wai Aung, who were arrested on the night of October 9.
Ko Paing Phyo Min is not only a prominent leader of AJAY but also a head of the Daung Taw Miyo Sate Than Chyat group, playing a significant role in leading public protests against the military regime in Yangon. Ko Shein Wai Aung, the President of the Dagon University Students’ Union and an active participant in political movements including educational reforms, was arrested along with his parents and sister. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
Ko Paing Phyo Min had previously been sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in the “Than Chyat” drumming movement in 2019 and was released under a general amnesty in 2021. Both he and Ko Shein Wai Aung are believed to be in significant danger following their arrests, and Amnesty International has issued a statement holding the military accountable for their safety.
