Mya Htwe Shin, Narinjara News, 5 April 2022

Paletwa township court of Chin State has sentenced Ko Tin Tun Aung, a social worker and government healthworker, to three years in prison undersection 505 (a) of the defamation act for speaking to media over hoisting a white flag in aPaletwa-based military battalion.

A family member of Tin Tun Aung, while talking to Narinjara News, expressed dissatisfaction over theimprisonment for ‘a minor’ reason.

"Three years are not a small period. I believe, three years' imprisonment should have been for themilitary for  raising the white flag,"he added.

Tin Tun Aung was arrested and jailed for speaking the words ‘hoisting a white flag’ as it means according tothe Burmese tradition,  they havegiven up voluntarily.

Family members disclosed that they would appeal in the higher courts against  the imprisonment.

Tin Tun Aung now may be taken to Sittwe prison, one of his relatives apprehended.

Tin Tun Aung (36) hailing from Myoma ward under Paletwa township was interviewed by a news outlet last yearabout raising a white flag in Paletwa-basedLIB 289.

The army and police personnel arrested him along with Ko Tin Oo from the Paletwa physical education schoolon 28 December last.

Ko Tin Oo was later released but he was charged under the defamation case. Three months later, Tin Tun Aung wassentenced to three years of imprisonment.