Families were concerned after the Myanmar’s military council did not let four women detained for participating in the flower strike see their families until June 22, one of their family members said.
Local residents reported that junta soldiers from the Mawrawaddy naval base had detained the four women from Hpaungtaw village in Kanpuak area, Yaybyu Township, Dawei District, for allegedly participating in the flower strike.
“We heard that they came to arrest them because they had photos of them wearing flowers that they posted on the social media for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 78th birthday,” said a local woman.
She further said that the junta soldiers from the naval base came to the village in three vehicles at around 8 pm on 20 June and arrested the four women in their homes.
Among those who came to arrest the alleged flower strike participants were the junta-appointed administrator of Hpaungtaw village and some other supporters of the military, villagers said.
Those arrested were Daw Hninn Myint, 45, Daw Suu Wai, 41, and her sister Daw Mee Lay, 38, and Daw Mee Cho, 37.
Daw Suu Wai and her sister had been summoned for interrogation by the regime months after the military took power, according to residents.
The detainees were reportedly held at the Mawrawaddy naval base headquarters for interrogation and have not been allowed to see their families since, causing concern among their families, according to villagers.
Also on 19 June at around 11 pm, junta soldiers from the naval base arrested the married couple from the private pre-school ECCD in Thirimingalar Ward, Kanpauk village.
The regime reportedly arrested as many as six people in Kanpuak region on 19 and 20 June and had not released any of them.
On 19 June – the birthday of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – Spring Revolution forces called for nationwide participation in the flower strike in her honour.
In response, the military council arrested nearly 150 people nationwide, including those carrying flowers, selling flowers, and distributing flower seedlings.
The junta released some of them, but some of them remained in detention, according to their families. Some of those arrested were charged under Section 505(a) of the law.
People across Myanmar joined the flower strike to mark the 78th birthday of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained and charged under various sections of the law.
A similar flower strike was also organized across the country in 2022.
Sent by NMG.