Extremist Buddhist monk Wirathu turned himself in at a Yangon police station today on a charge of sedition after more than a year evading authorities.
A warrant was issued against the monk at Western District Court under Article 124(a) in May 2019 for insulting comments he made at a nationalist rally about Aung San Suu Kyi
The National League for Democracy (NLD) government was funded by foreigners, he claimed in one speech earlier that month, adding that a government official was “sleeping with a foreigner.”
The State Counsellor was married and had two sons with British academic Michael Aris, who died of cancer in 1999 while she was under house arrest by the military junta.
If prosecuted under the article, Wirathu faces up to three years in prison.
The development comes days away from the general election on November 8, which the NLD is widely expected to win.
Wirathu is most known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, particularly against the Rohingya community. He speaks in support of the military support and has opposed efforts to amend the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.
More to come…
