Myanmar's NLD Should Repeal Or Amend Oppressive Laws Used To Jail Gov't Critics - Watchdog

A human rights watchdog called on Friday for Myanmar's governing National League for Democracy (NLD) party to repeal or amend laws created during the country's years-long military rule which were currently being used to jail critics of the government

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th April, 2019) A human rights watchdog called on Friday for Myanmar's governing National League for Democracy (NLD) party to repeal or amend laws created during the country's years-long military rule which were currently being used to jail critics of the government.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that Myanmar's authorities had made a series of arrests of peaceful critics of the army and government in the recent weeks, charging detainees under a range of laws, but in particular, section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, used repeatedly against online critics, and section 505, used mainly by the military, which doesn't allow for pretrial release on bail.

"Myanmar's government should be leading the fight against the legal tools of oppression that have long been used to prosecute critics of the military and government. During military rule, Aung San Suu Kyi [Myanmar's current leader] and many current lawmakers fought for free expression, yet now the NLD majority in parliament has taken almost no steps to repeal or amend abusive laws still being used to jail critics," Brad Adams, director of HRW Asia, said.

In particular, Adams mentioned the recent arrests made under both of the above-mentioned sections of several members of the Peacock Generation Thangyat satirical slogan chanting troupe and called on the government to release them.

"Myanmar's authorities are demonstrating how thin-skinned they are if they are arresting people for telling jokes. They should immediately drop all charges against the members of the Peacock Generation Thangyat troupe and allow them to freely express themselves," Adams said.

HRW also mentioned the recent case of filmmaker and human rights activist, Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, who was charged with both sections, 66(d) and 505, and sentenced to two years in prison for being critical of Myanmar's military. On Thursday, he was denied bail, despite having liver cancer and requiring medical treatment.

The NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, came to power in a landslide victory in Myanmar's first national vote in 2015. The Southeast Asian country's citizens were hopeful that the new civilian government would introduce a fresh chapter in Myanmar's politics after nearly 50 years under oppressive military rule. However, the NLD has been attracting criticism over its slow progress in economic reform and its failure to amend the constitution drafted by the military in 2008, which the NLD has been promising to do since entering the electoral arena in 2012.