PATHEIN (Radio Veritas Asia): Father Richard Nay Zaw Aung, from the Diocese of Pathein, Myanmar, who was arrested on April 10, and subsequently sent to the Kyone Pyaw Police Checkpoint, was released on the afternoon of April 19.
The assistant parish priest of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, in the village of Shar Khe, Kyone Pyaw Township, in the Ayeyarwaddy Region of Myanmar, was detained by 30 military personnel along with the parish priest, Father Firmin aka Man Saybat. Thirteen others, including one religious brother, a catechist, and three young people were also arrested.
All except for Father Zaw Aung, were released on the same night.
One of the reasons given for the arrest was the non-submission of an overnight guests’ list to the concerned authority, Myanmar Now reported.
According to local people, the priest had recently returned from France.
St. Joseph’s Church is the second-largest Catholic Church in the Ayeyarwaddy Region.
The Myanmese military also visited the Shwe Hlone Taw Catholic Church in Aung Myay Thar San Township, Mandalay, on April 14. The reason is unkown, but there were no arrests.
Following the February 1 military coup [Sunday Examiner, February 7] took place on February 1, 2021, the military council used to raid the rebels and religious buildings in villages. Churches in Chin State and Kayah State have been shot and attacked by heavy weapons.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar asked the junta last January to respect to religious buildings and their leaders.
A report by Political Prisoners Care Association, a non-profit human rights organisation, says that at least 125,000 people have been arrested and detained in prison.
