BANGKOK — Myanmar’s authorities have apprehended the son-in-law of the nation’s former military leader, Than Shwe, for reportedly sharing provocative content on his Facebook page, according to state media.
Nay Soe Maung, a 67-year-old retired colonel and former army medical officer, is the latest individual to face arrest for allegedly disseminating inflammatory information via social media.
His detention occurred just two weeks after he criticized the current military head and expressed condolences for the death of Zaw Myint Maung, a prominent figure in Myanmar’s previous ruling party, which was ousted during the military takeover in 2021.
The state-controlled The Mirror Daily reported that Nay Soe Maung was taken into custody and charged at a police facility in Pyigyidagun township, located in Mandalay, the nation’s second-largest city, on Wednesday.
The media release indicated that individuals found to incite violence or share propaganda in favor of opposition factions on social media could face prosecution under various laws, including those related to counter-terrorism, electronic communications, sedition, and incitement offenses.
Myanmar has endured significant unrest since the military staged a coup and displaced the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021. The coup sparked widespread protests, which were met with severe force by the military and police, leading to armed resistance and escalating violence that has descended into a civil conflict.
The military’s leadership is characterized by its close-knit and secretive nature.
According to an independent research organization, Data for Myanmar, approximately 1,691 individuals have been detained for expressing dissent against the military regime and showing solidarity with opposition forces on social media since the coup.
Nay Soe Maung is married to a daughter of Than Shwe, who ruled Myanmar with an iron fist from 1992 until 2011 before transitioning power to a nominally civilian, pro-military administration. During his rule, he established a notorious regime that brutally suppressed opposition and routinely imprisoned political dissidents, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the emblematic leader of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement.
Post-retirement, Nay Soe Maung served as a lecturer and the rector of the University of Public Health in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city. Prior to the 2021 military coup, he publicly endorsed the ousted government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and participated in peaceful protests in Yangon following her detention during the coup.
Shortly before his arrest, he extended his condolences upon learning of the passing of Zaw Myint Maung, Suu Kyi’s colleague and spokesperson for her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).