Myanmar’s regime has detained a protester’s mother in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region, and demanded that the activist hand herself in.
Daw Htwe Htwe Thein, the mother of Ma Thoon Nant Thar, an executive member of the Wetlet Basic Education Students’ Union, was detained on Friday at her house.
A police commander called Ko Han Min Soe, the students’ union president, and said he must surrender along with vice-president Ko Nanda and Ma Thoon Nant Thar by Tuesday.
The police officer called him three times this week and Daw Htwe Htwe Thein was tortured on Monday during the phone call, Ko Han Min Soe told The Irrawaddy.
“They beat hit her nearly six times. They said they will kill her if we will not surrender,” he said.
The student union organizes frequent anti-regime protests for students and residents in the resistance stronghold of Wetlet.
The students’ union lost contact with Ma Thoon Nant Thar three days ago. Troops raided her home in February and May.
Ko Han Min Soe said: “Seizing relatives will not stop the revolution. We will continue the revolution without betraying the people.”
Some members of the Wetlet General Strike Committee have been detained but the student leaders remain out of custody.
A strike committee spokeswoman said: “The student protesters are being targeted. That’s why they took their parents hostage and told them to surrender. We will never surrender. We will continue to do what we have to do for the revolution.”
