Three detained over books deemed critical of military; A second ‘mass defection’ ceremony in Mandalay

Three detained over books deemed ‘critical’ of military

Sources told DVB that award-winning writer Tin Nyunt, his son—who reportedly published Tin Nyunt’s books—and an unnamed woman alleged to have sold his books via social media were arrested and charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code at the Thanlyin Township police station in Yangon Region on Friday. Section 505(a) penalizes spreading “fake news” and “incitement” against the military.

A book seller told DVB on the condition of anonymity that three of Tin Nyunt’s published books “criticize” military generals, including former regime leader and commander-in-chief Than Shwe who ruled Burma 1992-2011. The source added that all the three books were published during the National League for Democracy (NLD) administration 2016-21. Tin Nyunt won the Myanmar National Literature Award in 2017.

A writer told DVB on the condition of anonymity that Min Aung Hlaing, who was inaugurated president by a pro-military parliament on April 10, may ban the three Tin Nyunt books since they are popular with readers in Burma. Regime media has yet to report on the arrests. The regime’s Ministry of Information banned four LGBTQ+ themed books in March 2025 for violating its revised Printing and Publishing Law.

A second ‘mass defection’ ceremony in Mandalay

Former members of the Arakan Army (AA), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the People’s Defense Force (PDF), the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), were reportedly part of a “mass defection” ceremony at the regime’s Central Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters in Mandalay on Friday.

“The youngest one who defected from the PDF is a 15-year-old girl from Mandalay’s Myingyan [Township],” a military official at the ceremony told regime media. The Central RMC Commander Aung Htay and Chief Minister of Mandalay Region Myo Aung, also a member of military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), attended the ceremony with members of the region’s parliament.

A total of 512 resistance members, aged 15-75, involved in the ceremony were reportedly from Naypyidaw, Shan State, Mandalay, Sagaing, and Magway regions. This is the military’s second “defection” ceremony, which has involved alleged resistance members being released from detention. A previous one involving 506 PDF members was held at the Central RMC headquarters on March 19, according to the regime.