8/21/22, 10:24 PM Nationalists Subject Journalist to Devastating Legal Ordeal Despite the fact that his lawyer has poked significant holes in the case brought by the plaintiff, as well as the legal procedures and investigative officers’ report, Ko Swe Win does not have high hopes of success, as his case has implications both politically and for police independence. He said police should strictly follow established procedures and work with the court. To improve the judicial system, he urged that independent police investigations be introduced under the supervision of the judiciary. The adoption of such a mechanism appears unlikely, however, as long as the Ministry of Home Affairs remains under the control of the Army. Ko Swe Win said, “Everyone knows why I am being sued. My lawyer asked the police officer whether he was aware that my comments meant that monk U Wirathu committed a cardinal sin, as he publicly supported the murderers of prominent lawyer U Ko Ni at Yangon International Airport. He testified that he did not know. So, to me, the independence of the police is very questionable at this point.” He also questioned the reliability of evidence submitted by police and the plaintiff. The police’s lack of impartiality, he said, could sway the final outcome, as the judge takes into consideration the evidence and testimony of the police officer. Asked by The Irrawaddy whether he expected to be acquitted, Ko Swe Win chuckled softly and said, “I do not expect to win this case. My fate lies in a cell.” Topics: Ma Ba Tha, Myanmar Now, Telecommunications Law, U Ko Ni, U Wirathu, ultranationalist monks  Moe Myint The Irrawaddy Moe Myint is Senior Reporter at the English edition of The Irrawaddy. https://www.irrawaddy.com/features/nationalists-subject-journalist-devastating-legal-ordeal.html 5/5