Myanmar regime imprisons two Islamic teachers and seizes mosque

Central Nawnghkio Mosque (Photo: Mutu Saresh / Google Maps) Myanmar’s military junta handed lengthy prison sentences to two Islamic teachers last week, more than a year after accusing them of supporting the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) following the group’s capture of the town of Nawnghkio in northern Shan State during Operation 1027. Junta troops retook Nawnghkio in July 2025, a year after it fell to the TNLA and its People’s Defence Force (PDF) allies. Alleging ties with the resistance forces, the junta sealed off the town’s mosque and arrested two trustee Imams. On October 22, the junta-controlled Kyaukme District Court sentenced the two teachers—Hla Htwe, chair of the mosque’s board of trustees, and Soe Thein, the secretary—to 11 years in jail under Section 50j of the Counter-Terrorism Law and three years of hard labour under Section 52a of the same law, to be served concurrently. “They were arrested a long time ago. The sentence was handed down just now, and each of them received 11 years,” a local man told Myanmar Now. A member of Nawnghkio’s Muslim community said the court’s decision also states that the mosque will be seized as state property, so preparations are underway to file an appeal with the Shan State High Court. “The mosque has been sealed for a long time. Now that it is under order to be confiscated as state property, the religious leaders are working with lawyers to pursue the matter further,” he said. Myanmar Now contacted officials from the All Myanmar Islam Religious Organisation to find out more about the appeal, but had not received a response by the time of writing. On July 10, 2024, during the second wave of Operation 1027, allied resistance forces led by the TNLA captured Nawnghkio. However, following pressure by China on the TNLA and its allies to enter into ceasefires with the regime, the TNLA announced in December 2024 that it would halt fighting. In late February 2025, the junta launched a counteroffensive from nearby Tawng Hkam village and retook Nawnghkio five months later on July 16. After retaking the town, locals said that the regime sealed off the mosque, the Gurkha community’s Dhamma Sala guesthouse, and over 50 civilian homes, claiming they were used to harbour and support the anti-junta groups. Locals added that the regime continues to track down and arrest people it claims are connected to the resistance forces. Earlier this month, 20 people accused of having ties to the TNLA, the Danu People’s Liberation Army, and PDF forces were arrested and sent to Mandalay’s Obo prison. “Just the other day, a man who sells goods at the market was arrested again, just after the mosque case verdict was issued,” a woman from Nawnghkio’s Zayyat Ward said. After retaking the town, the junta went on to capture Kyaukme and Hsipaw from the TNLA and placed them all under martial law. They also arrested locals and members of social welfare associations in the towns under the Counter-Terrorism Law due to their alleged support of the TNLA, and sealed off over 20 homes and hotels. On October 18, martial law was lifted in Kyaukme and Hsipaw, but not in Nawnghkio. Despite the TNLA and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army entering into ceasefires with the junta last year and attending “peace talks” in Naypyitaw this year, both groups and their ally the Arakan Army are still designated as terrorist organisations by the regime.