A Chance to Fix in Time: Analysis of Freedom of Expression in Four Years Under the Current Government
prosecution for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and the Tatmadaw after the
Kyauktada police force did not accept his legal notification to protest in advance. He
was unprecedentedly charged under Section 20 of Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful
Procession Law and Section 505(b) of the Penal Code although the police typically
charged the organisers of unpermitted protests only under Section 20 of Peaceful
Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law.
3.1.5 Organiser of Anti-War Prayer Rally Charged
An organiser named Ying Kyang of a prayer rally calling for the end of war in Kachin
State was charged under Section 20 of Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession
Law for allegedly starting the prayer a few later than the permitted starting time so
ended a few minutes beyond the permitted ending time and the performance of
young IDPs. The rally was organised in Myitkyina's Manau ground on June 9, 2018
to mark the seventh anniversary of resumption of civil war in Kachin State The rally
was originally planned to start at 8 am and to end at 12 pm. However, raw weather
led it to start lately and end at 12:50 pm. U ---------------- was fined ten thousand Kyat
(100,000 MMK) under Section 20 of Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law.
3.1.6 Activists Jailed for Reciting Peace Poems
Kyauktada township police force opened lawsuits against Ko Zayar Lwin, Ko Khant
Min Htet and Ko Ye Wint Aung (aka) Shwe Kyal Moe under Section 19 of Peaceful
Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law after they participated in a peace poetry
event organised at Mahabandula park on 14 May, 2018 with the aim of demanding
to halt battles between the Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The
court imposed a fine of twenty thousand Kyat (20,000 MMK) or a sentence of 15 days
imprisonment on them on September 19. Poets Khant Min Htet and Shwe Kyal Moe
(aka) Ko Ye Wint Aung paid the fine but Ko Zayar Lwin chose to stay in prison as he
believed peace was insulted and he would like to point out freedom of expression
and judicial system were broken. Meanwhile, a poet named Klink (Mandalay) was
also jailed for two months on May 10, 2018, after he recited poems in a public event
held in Mandalay demanding peace.
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Chapter (3): Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession