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Authorities have issued arrest warrants for Kyaw Ho, Myint Thaung, Maung Maung Latt, Aung Than Myint, Khin
Htay Kywe, and Nyi Nyi Hlaing, six lawyers who have been involved in
cases defending political activists, according to a source close to the
lawyers.
A Rangoon resident who is
close to the lawyers said the authorities were trying to intimidate
lawyers into not taking political cases.
“The lawyers are from the
National League for Democracy so they offer their legal services in
political cases,” the resident said.
“When they do so, they openly
express their legal arguments as permitted under the law,” he said.
“[Lawyers] U Aung Thein, U Khin Maung Shein, and
Ko Pho Phyu were arrested
for that. The authorities want to scare lawyers away from people who are
involved in politics.”
The resident said the issuing
of arrest warrants against the defence lawyers was also likely to hurt
political activists now in detention.
“Political activists who are currently
being detained are bound to suffer from the authorities' action against
lawyers,” the resident said.
“Political activists have
been oppressed for many years now and they are serving long prison terms
in distant prisons and their families are suffering,” he said.
“The issuing of arrest
warrants against their lawyers is meant to weaken their resistance.”
Kyaw Ho said he had not heard
anything about an arrest warrant being issued against him.
This is the latest case of
the authorities’ harassment of lawyers dealing with political cases.
Lawyer Pho Phyu,
who was taken into custody on 15 January, is still being detained in a
police cell in Magwe.
Three other lawyers who have
defended political activists – Nyi
Nyi Htwe and Rangoon Supreme Court lawyers Aung Thein and Khin Maung
Shein – are currently serving prison sentences.
Reporting by Khin Hnin
Htet
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