The son-in-law of former Myanmar's strongman is arrested over Facebook posts

BANGKOK — Myanmar’s security forces arrested the son-in-law of the country’s former longtime military ruler, Than Shwe, for allegedly posting inflammatory statements on his Facebook account, the state-run media said Friday.

Nay Soe Maung, a 67-year-old retired colonel and a former army medical officer, was the latest to be arrested and jailed for writing Facebook posts that allegedly spread inflammatory news.

His arrest came two weeks after he posted criticism of the current military leader and his condolences for the death of Zaw Myint Maung, a senior member of Myanmar’s former ruling party whose government was ousted during the 2021 military takeover.

The state-run The Mirror Daily newspaper said Nay Soe Maung was detained and prosecuted at a police station in Pyigyidagun township in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city on Wednesday.

Friday’s report said people who make incitements or share propaganda and support for opposition groups on social media will be prosecuted under the country's laws including counter-terrorism, electronic transactions, sedition and incitement.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb.1, 2021. The army’s takeover triggered mass public protests that the military and police responded to with lethal force, triggering armed resistance and violence that has escalated into a civil war.

Myanmar’s military leadership is known for being close-knit, secretive and sensitive.

Data for Myanmar, an independent research group, said in a report last month that about 1,691 people were detained for criticizing the military regime and showing support for opposition groups on social media since the army takeover.

Nay Soe Maung is married to a daughter of dictator Than Shwe, who ruled from 1992 until 2011, when he handed power to a nominally civilian, pro-military government. During his rule, he led a feared junta that brutally crushed dissent and routinely jailed political opponents, including Suu Kyi, the charismatic face of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement.

Nay Soe Maung served as a lecturer and rector of the University of Public Health, Yangon, the country’s largest city, after retiring as army doctor.

Before the army’s 2021 takeover, he had express support for the previous government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and joined peaceful protests on the streets in Yangon after the military arrested her during the takeover.

Days before his arrest, he posted condolences on the death of Zaw Myint Maung, Suu Kyi’s colleague and spokesperson of her NLD party.