Christian Catholic nun helping IDPs in Loikaw arrested and sentenced to 8 months in prison under Section 505(a) for inciting public disorder

Yangon, July 6 A Christian Catholic nun in Loikaw city, Karenni State, who was providing health and humanitarian assistance to displaced persons, has been sentenced to 8 months in prison under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code for inciting public disorder, it has been learned. Sister Benedetta Nya Moe, 50, a nun from the Sisters of Charity of Saints Bartolomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa, was arrested by the military council's forces on June 10 near Loikaw city, Karenni (Kayah) State, while transporting a female displaced patient to the hospital. Two local residents accompanied the nun, and when soldiers checked their phones, they found records of donations received through the Kpay mobile money transfer system and information related to armed conflict, leading to their arrest and interrogation, according to local residents. The two local residents were released after four days, but the nun was kept in detention. On June 24, a military tribunal inside the prison sentenced her to 8 months in prison under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. It was also learned that she was transferred to Loikaw Prison on the same day the sentence was handed down. Section 505(a) of the Penal Code is a law widely used by the military council since the 2021 coup to arrest and prosecute political opponents, civilians, and those involved in humanitarian work, with a maximum sentence of up to 3 years in prison. Sister Nya Moe, an ethnic Karenni, has completed 25 years as a nun and has been providing healthcare, medical supplies, and nutrition programs for many years in collaboration with the Loikaw Diocese in displacement camps and villages in Demawso Township and near Loikaw. One person who worked with the nun said that Sister Nya Moe was arrested only after encountering the military council's troops while transporting a displaced patient to the hospital, and that she is someone who only engages in humanitarian activities. Currently, Catholic churches and nunneries across Myanmar are holding prayer services for Sister Nya Moe's safety, spiritual strength, and swift release. Demawso Township, where Sister Nya Moe has been primarily involved in assistance, was previously a region controlled by Karenni resistance forces. Although the military council claims to have regained control of the city, organizations monitoring the regional situation indicate that resistance forces are still active in many areas. Of Myanmar's population of approximately 54 million, Christians account for about 6 percent, while Buddhists account for about 89 percent. Photo: Christian missionaries and nuns protesting against the 2021 military coup. (Old photo.)