A Muslim activist, Zaw Zaw Latt, who has been working for interfaith peace building in Myanmar, has been arrested, reports the Burma Muslim Association on July 17.
Zaw Zaw Latt was arrested at 8 pm on 14 July in Chan Aye Thar Zan Township, Mandalay, says the BMA in a press release. He was arrested in a café by police allegedly without an arrest warrant.
Zaw Zaw Latt is charged under section 17/1 of the Penal Code for unlawful association with a blacklisted organisation.
Zaw Zaw Latt is a member of an organisation called Thint Myat Lo Thu Myar (Translation: Peace Seekers). A Buddhist abbot known as Asha Alinn Yaung Sayadaw from Pyin Oo Lwin founded the organisation in 2013, in the aftermath of the Meikhtila anti-Muslim violence. The organisation is formed with members from diverse faiths including Buddhists, Christian, Muslims, Hindus and Baha’i. He is also a member of National League for Democracy party.
The arrest is related to Zaw Zaw Latt's involvement in a peaceful march to Kachin State in 2013. During the visit to Kachin State he took pictures with the member of Kachin arms group and posted on his Facebook account. The pictures were posted two years ago. BMA says he is only now having action taken against him because recently members of Ma Ba Tha have been targeting him and allegedly spreading rumours that he has connections with armed groups.
BMA claims that this shows that authorities in Myanmar react swiftly whenever the extremist groups demand and pressure them. He has been portrayed as a terrorist on social media.
BMA strongly urge the international community to put all possible pressure on Myanmar authorities to release Zaw Zaw Latt immediately.