Tatmadaw admits to detaining military medical student who criticised former dictators on Facebook

Tatmadaw admits to detaining military medical student who criticised former dictators on Facebook

Khaing Khant Kyaw’s family have had no contact with him since he went missing in August 

Khaing Khant Kyaw in his Defence Services Medical Academy uniform (Khaing Khant Kyaw/Facebook)

The Tatmadaw has admitted it is detaining a military medical student who went missing over three months ago after criticising the military on Facebook.  

Khaing Khant Kyaw, a second-year student at the Defence Services Medical Academy, will be charged under the Defence Services Act, military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said at a press conference.

“We’re still planning to take action against the student through the military courts,” he said. 

“He’ll be allowed to meet his family after the court martial. Everything will go according to procedure. The family shouldn’t be concerned about not being able to see him,” he added.

 

 

Khaing Khant Kyaw’s family have had no contact with him since he went missing in late August and this is the first time they have received confirmation he is being held by the military. 

His father told Myanmar Now he did not wish to comment. 

 

 

Khaing Khant Kyaw shared a Facebook post in August criticising former dictators Ne Win and Than Shwe and praising State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi.

He also posted photos from the 2003 Depayin massacre and wrote: “Who was it that said ‘guns aren’t supposed to be aimed at the sky’ and shot students who had no weapons whatsoever?”

“I didn’t enlist because I love the military,” he said in another post. 

Kyaw Swar Win, a former major who was jailed in 2014 for supporting a petition to amend the military-drafted constitution, speculated that the student could be charged with breach of discipline under section 65 of the Defence Services Act. 

The section carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

The military could also charge him under section 66d of the Telecommunications Law, he said. 

“Section 65 is what they would use against you just out of spite. And then there is 66d of the telecoms law since the criticisms were online. I’m sure they could be nitpicky and add more charges,” he told Myanmar Now. 

“There’s so many limitations to your rights when it comes to the military,” he added. “Soldiers lose out on a lot of rights, there’s no rule of law.” 

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BBC Burmese journalist Aung Thura was in front of the Dekkhina District court to report on a hearing for National League for Democracy patron Win Htein when he was arrested. Former Mizzima correspondent Than Htike Aung was with him at the time of the arrest.

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BBC News issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying that they are "doing everything [they] can" to find Aung Thura, who they described as being taken away by unidentified men.

“We call on the authorities to help locate him and confirm that he is safe,” the statement said.

As of March 16, a total of 38 journalists had been arrested or targeted for arrest since the February 1 coup. The latest arrests of the BBC and former Mizzima journalists push this number up to 40.  

Only 22 of these reporters have been released. Ten journalists have been charged with violating Section 505(a) of the penal code, which has been used against people who are seen as causing fear, spreading fake news, or agitating government employees. Under recent amendments to the law, the charges come with a three-year prison sentence if convicted.

Online news website The Irrawaddy has also been charged by the junta as violating the same statute for showing “disregard” for the armed forces in their reporting of the ongoing anti-regime protests.

Five publications, including Myanmar Now and Mizzima had their offices raided and their publishing licenses revoked earlier this month by the regime.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include the BBC's statement, which was not available at the original time of publishing.

 

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The regime’s forces also shot at and chased fleeing protesters along roads and through narrow alleys, a resident said.

“The crowd of protesters dispersed but one person was shot dead while trying to rescue those trapped in the protest site,” the resident added. 

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Despite the murders, protesters gathered again in the afternoon around 4pm. Police and soldiers started shooting again and killed two people. 

“They were shot dead while trying to set up barricades at the protest site. They were shot while trying to obstruct the army’s way as the army troops chased and shot the trapped protestors,” the resident said. 

The two who were killed in the morning were identified as Salai Kyong Lian Kye O, who was 25, and Kyin Khant Man, who was 27 and had three children. The identities of the other two have not yet been confirmed.

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