True Green City Factory Union Secretary Assault Case Dismissed by Court Despite CCTV Evidence

Yangon, July 8 In the case where a Chinese technician physically assaulted a female trade union secretary at the True Green City factory in the Wata Ya Industrial Zone, Shwepyitha Township, Yangon Region, the Shwepyitha Township Court has dismissed the case, deeming it unsuitable for prosecution, according to an official from the Solidarity of Trade Union Myanmar (STUM) organization, who spoke to Khit Thit Media. The incident occurred on February 25, 2026, within the True Green City factory. The Chinese technician, identified as "Jejay," allegedly struck the female secretary of the factory's labor union on the back with a hard object and then pushed her, causing her to fall. Subsequently, he allegedly struck her again with a plastic bag. A lawsuit was filed on March 12. The assault case was filed under Section 323 (causing hurt) of the Penal Code, with case number (Penal Code-133/26). It was reported that during the 13th court hearing held on July 6, the judge dismissed the case, stating it was unsuitable for prosecution. An official from STUM stated, "What we cannot say for sure is that the court's order has not yet reached our hands. We only have a copy. They say it was dismissed, but we don't know the specific grounds for dismissal. Is it because the CCTV record was not clearly visible? It is too early to say what they based their decision on. We will have to proceed after receiving the official court statement." In this case, despite the existence of CCTV footage as evidence clearly showing the offense, and the victim's side presenting labor witnesses, some witnesses were dismissed during the investigation. The remaining labor witnesses did not appear on their scheduled court dates due to various reasons and later resigned from their jobs, resulting in only one witness being able to testify. According to a legal aid provider for the case, although three witnesses were presented when the case was initially filed, only one witness was able to testify in practice. The plaintiff's submission of CCTV footage to the court was not thoroughly reviewed and considered by the court, leading to the dismissal of the case. It has been advised that the plaintiff should proceed with an appeal or revision to the higher court due to dissatisfaction with this decision. Despite clear evidence of physical assault in violation of the provisions of the Employment Agreement (EC Contract), the township court's dismissal of the case has left the victim, the trade union secretary, and the workers dissatisfied. They intend to continue with appeals and revisions to the higher court to seek justice. The STUM official further explained, "The EC contract, signed by both employers and employees, includes clauses prohibiting employers from committing physical assault. Furthermore, labor law stipulates that foreign nationals, technicians, entrepreneurs, managers, and factory supervisors cannot directly supervise Myanmar workers. They must communicate through a Myanmar employee. In this case, the perpetrator bypassed this protocol and committed the assault. In reality, the workers should not have had to go to court. The Ministry of Labor, through the Directorate of Labor, should have taken action. According to the Employment and Conditions of Employment Act, this technician should have been penalized. However, no action was taken, forcing us to go to court. The CCTV record was shown in court. The police also reviewed this CCTV record and filed the case, but the court disregarded these facts."