Paung resident makes joke in social media video and is arrested by junta

June 11, 2025

HURFOM: On June 7^th, 2025, the military junta arrested a resident from Ka Dar Myo Thit Ward, Paung Town, Paung Township, Mon State for making a joke.

48-year-old U Kyaw Akar Lin aka Poe Wa, launched a “Facebook Live” video on his social media account in which reported that a local resident was warning people to wear footwear and brassieres while outside, if not, he said, you could be fined (by a joint team of traffic police). U Kyaw Akar Lin, continued to joke that the junta was arresting drivers of unlicensed vehicles and extorting them.

The junta has accused him of defaming the State and spreading fear among the public and arrested him at his home.

“As far as I know, Ko Poe just wanted to make a joke about the junta,” said a Paung resident.

On June 9^th the Paung Police Station charged U Kyaw Akar Win under Article 505(a) of the Burmese Criminal Act.

“Five days before the arrest, rumors were spreading in the community that the traffic police were fining motorists 30,000 or 50,000 MMK for not wearing footwear or brassieres. On the next day, Poe Wa made a joke of the rumors in his “Facebook Live” video and said living in Burma was ridiculous. Then, he was arrested on the next day,” said a Paung resident.

At the start of June, 2025, a middle-aged woman from Paung Township was fined 50,000 MMK for not wearing a brassiere even though she had a full and complete document for her motorbike, according to local media agencies.

From June 1^st, 2025, if anyone in Paung Township is caught riding an unlicensed motorbike, the motorbike will be seized and the owner will be jailed for a month under the Control of Exports and Imports Act.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News