The military arrested up to twenty youths and accused them of helping the People Defence Force (PDF). Members of the civilian resistance group told SHAN that the youngsters have nothing to do with their organisation.

“The military junta arrested them without any evidence,” said a PDF member in southern Shan State. Authorities claimed they found weapons on the youths who are volunteers and students, but actually they set them up, the source said.

After grabbing the youths from Aye Thayar and Taunggyi towns, in Taunggyi Township, they took photos with weapons they planted on them, the PDF member explained. Authorities have already convicted the youths and sent them to prison. “During the last five months of military rule they arrested many people and charged them without a shred of evidence.”

Aung Nway Oo said armed forces have detained many health workers and volunteers.
Recently, the Ministry of Health and Sports, now controlled by the military council, asked them to help them stop the COVID-19 outbreak, he explained. “They refused to work under the military junta because armed forces arrested and beat them up when they helped the protest movement.”

The military council arrested about 200 civilians during protests against the junta in Taunggyi Township.

PDF chapters formed across the country to fight against the regime after it arrested thousands of peaceful protesters calling for the return of a civilian government. The military council killed 912 people until July 16, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

*Aung Nway Oo is a pseudonym.