A 40-year-old man who is the brother of an ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) parliamentarian was arrested at his home by military personnel on Sunday.
A group of junta soldiers arrived at the home of Lin Htin Soe in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region, in a military vehicle at around 8pm, arresting both him and a neighbour who was visiting the residence at the time, according to a relative.
“They searched the house and took them, saying they had something to ask them,” the relative told Myanmar Now. “They took everything, including a car, cash and even pocket money from the kids’ wallets. They even took the neighbor that was at the house to watch TV with them.”
A friend of Lin Htin Soe speculated that his arrest may have been related to the role held by his brother, Kyaw Soe Lin, who was an NLD MP representing Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay. He is reportedly wanted by the military.
“I think he got caught up in the crosshairs because of his brother,” the friend told Myanmar Now on the condition of anonymity.
Lin Htin Soe had competed in the 2020 general election as an independent candidate trying to represent Pyin Oo Lwin’s Constituency 2 and had also served as chair of the Takhun Farmers Association of Myanmar. However, the relative that spoke to Myanmar Now said that Lin Htin Soe had stopped his political activities after losing his electoral race.
At the time of his arrest, he was living with his wife, son and daughter in a house still under construction and trying to run a convenience store.
The troops reportedly also threatened to detain Lin Htin Soe’s family.
“They told him he’d have to give them his car if he didn’t want them to take his wife and children. They took the car,” the relative said.
The family was forced to flee their home following Lin Htin Soe’s arrest.
Myanmar Now tried to contact the military council’s information ministry on Monday afternoon for further information on his arrest, but was unable to make contact.
The junta soldiers also shot at men in a house in Pyigyidagun on Sunday evening, leading to one death, two injuries, and two people arrested, according to local news reports.
On Saturday, the military attempted to arrest an NLD party member near Sein Pan ward in Mandalay. Unable to locate him, they took his father into custody, according to locals.
