icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
28 Apr, 2021 15:33

Myanmar pro-democracy protest leader charged with police officers’ murders and treason – state TV

Myanmar pro-democracy protest leader charged with police officers’ murders and treason – state TV

A prominent leader of the protest movement against Myanmar's military junta has been charged with several crimes, including murder, high treason and unlawful assembly, state TV reported on Wednesday.

Wai Moe Naing was arrested during a rally in the city of Monywa earlier this month, where he was barged off his motorbike by plainclothes police and detained at gunpoint, according to news outlet Myanmar Now.

He has been charged by the junta with the killing of two police officers in Monywa in March and faces a total of five charges, carrying a potential 28-year prison sentence, according to his lawyer Moe Zaw Htun.

Also on rt.com Fighting erupts in eastern Myanmar as Karen rebels attack military base near Thai border (VIDEOS)

Wai Moe Naing is set to appear at a hearing on May 7 and is in good health, his lawyer said.

His indictment comes a day after the armed rebel group, the Karen National Union (KNU), claimed to have seized a military base from Myanmar's army, near the Thai border.

Myanmar has seen daily protests and widespread violence since the military seized power in a coup on February 1 and detained the democratically-elected civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other government officials.

More than 750 citizens have been killed since the coup, according to the non-profit group, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. 

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
26:25
0:00
25:35