KALADAN PRESS

Dated: Wed, January 7, 2004

Judgment Without Proper Trial in Arakan:

SPDC Authorities Sentenced A Retired Health Assistant to 6 Months Jail

Buthidaung, Jan-07: SPDC authorities have sentenced a retired health assistant to six months jail without proper trial on 24^th December 2003, said a relative of the victim.

The victim was Mohammed Sayed, 55, of Kwan Dine Village of Buthidaung Township in Arakan State. He has attended the health assistant training provided by government previously. Following the training, he was appointed in the government service and retired. But, he continues his practice in rural areas so far with the understating of concerned authorities, as he was a good practitioner in his service periods and there is no other alternative or M.B.B.S doctor in that area, he further added. 

Suddenly, on December 23, 2003, a section of Nasaka (Border Security Force) led by U Saw Myint, an Officer from Military Intelligence (MI)-18, went to the victim’s house while he was in Maungdaw Town to buy some medicines. But, the MI- 18 officer arrested his elder son and seized some medicines from his house in the absence of the victim, said a villager of the victim.

Later, the seized medicines were kept under the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman and the son of the victim was released after the bribe of Kyat 200,000, he further added.

On 24^th December 2003, in the morning, while the victim arrived with medicines at the bus station of Buthidaung town from Maungdaw, the said MI officer arrested him and brought to his house accompanied by two other police, where the MI Officer took photographs of the victim with all the medicines.

Then the victim was sent to Buthidaung Police Station (PS) with a forwarding letter from MI Officer to the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of said P.S to charge him and was taken to the Court of Additional Township Session Judge with the accusation of illegal practitioner. Finally, the Judge instantly sentenced the victim to six months jail without any fair trial, said an eyewitness of the event.

For further information, please contact at:

Mobile: (+880) 11 227 138

E-mail: [email protected]