YANGON—A lawyer who has assisted detained student protesters was beaten and taken into custody by the junta’s security forces at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, lawyers close to him confirmed to The Irrawaddy.
The regime sent a large number of troops to detain U Naing Lin Zaw at his house in Yangon’s Sanchaung Township. The lawyer was beaten as he was forcibly taken from his home. The reason for his detention is unknown, the sources said.
U Naing Ling Zaw has long been known for providing free legal services to activists detained for participating in Myanmar’s struggle for democracy. Recently he had been helping secure the release of student protesters detained by the junta’s security forces for participating in anti-regime protests.
Authorities’ unnecessary display of force during U Naing Lin Zaw’s arrest was intended to intimidate other lawyers who are assisting detained anti-regime protesters, said a lawyer close to U Naing Lin Zaw.
“We have had to go into hiding too. Frankly, we don’t feel safe. Lawyers helping the detained protesters do not feel secure,” he said.
A lawyer at the Myanmar Bar Council said the council is not in a position to help U Naing Lin Zaw. “We know nothing for sure. We can say nothing. The council is a quasi-governmental organization, and has no comment for the time being,” the lawyer said.
Lawyers have been subjected to arrest and threats since Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, but exactly how many have been detained is unknown, lawyers said.
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