Rakhine region: In September military arrested U Hamid Hussein, Mee Kyaung, Rohingya village chief, and U Kyaw Hla, Tat Min Chaung, Rakhine village chief, in Buthidaung charging a link to AA, according to locals.
On 29 September the military sued against the arrested village administrators under section 17(1) of unlawful association and handed over to Border Guard police who took them to Buthidaung court on September 30.
A Rohingya from Buthidaung said, “On last September 3, the military called a meeting where 11 Rakhine village chiefs and 7 Rohingya village chiefs participated. Among those, military detained U Hamid and U Kyaw Hla by saying ‘military noticed the two chiefs’ mobile phones that they were in contact’ with the Arakan Army (AA).”
They were tortured in military custody from September 3 to September 29 and the military transferred the to the Border Guard Police Battalion (13) after filing a case under section 17(1) unlawful association. The next day the Border police brought them to the Buthidaung Township Court, according to a resident who visited the court.
