Michael Kyaw Myint, the far-right leader of the Yeomanry Development Party (YDO) wanted in relation to a recent unauthorised protest, was arrested on Tuesday evening in Yangon’s South Dagon township, police have told Myanmar Now.
“He was arrested last night. We can’t give further comment yet,” the officer said.
Michael Kyaw Myint was charged under article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Law earlier this month for an unauthorised solo protest he staged in Yangon’s Kyauktada township.
He was also hit with a defamation lawsuit in October under section 505b of the penal code in relation to comments he made while campaigning for the party in Sagaing region’s Khin Oo township.
The YDP organised another rally in Yangon late last month accusing the Union Election Commission of rigging last year’s election, which saw the military’s proxy party suffer a bruising defeat.
Hundreds attended that demonstration in defiance of restrictions on large gatherings aimed at preventing Covid-19 infections.
The YDP was due to hold a pro-military rally in Naypyitaw on Friday near the office of the commander-in-chief. Moe Moe Khaing, a senior party executive, said last week that the rally would involve giving an award to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
“We’re giving it directly to the hands of the commander-in-chief,” she said.
Michael Kyaw Myint would lead the rally despite being wanted on multiple charges, she added, and then turn himself in afterwards.
But in a video posted on Facebook before his arrest on Tuesday, Michael Kyaw Myint said police had confiscated the award and that he would hand himself in in two or three days.
The military has not commented on the planned rally and Myanmar Now was unable to confirm if Min Aung Hlaing had agreed to accept an award.
It is unclear if the rally will still go ahead in Michael Kyaw Myint’s absence.
Moe Moe Khaing was arrested after last month’s Yangon rally and charged under article 20 of the Peaceful Assembly Law.
The YDP was among 34 parties that met with Min Aung Hlaing in August last year, ahead of the November election. A photo of the senior general with Michael Kyaw Myint provoked a backlash on social media at the time.
The far-right firebrand first came to national attention in May 2019, when he led an anti-Muslim mob that shut down Ramadan prayers in South Dagon township. He served a year in prison for that incident.
