By Kantarawaddy Times
The military junta has filed charges against five residents of Loikaw, including three minors, accusing them of disrupting and obstructing the election. The State Administration Council (SAC) announced on September 22 that the detainees are being prosecuted under provisions of the election law.
Those arrested were identified as: Paing Paing Soe (also known as Myo Min Khant) and Han Htun Aung (also known as Ye Min Ko Ko), both aged 18; Aung Naing Lin, aged 17; Phyo Paing Zay Aung, aged 16; and Htun Ne Oo Hlaing, aged 14. All are residents of Daw Noe Kue Ward in Loikaw. They were arrested by the military on September 14, according to reports.
“We heard that children were among those arrested, but we don’t know exactly how many. This seems to be the first time arrests have been made in Loikaw under the election law. We hadn’t heard of such cases before” said a local resident from Loikaw.
According to the junta’s statement, nine people in total—including three minors—were arrested in Loikaw under Article 23(a) of the Law on the Protection of Elections from Interference, Destruction, and Disruption. The provision allow to carries a minimum prison term of three years and a maximum of seven years, as well as possible fines.
The SAC also declared that anyone engaging in activities aimed at disrupting the 2025 multi-party general election—such as posting on social media, making public speeches, organizing, protesting, writing, or displaying posters—would be prosecuted under the election law.
The statement further noted that four men from Shwepyithar Township, Yangon, had been arrested under the same provision. As of September 22, the junta claimed that at least 10 individuals, including minors, had been charged under Article 23(a) of the election law.
