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.
How Naypyidaw is weaponizing Myanmar’s energy crisis
The global energy crisis has hit Myanmar with rising fuel prices and shortages, but one economic expert warns that the military regime in Naypyidaw’s deeply entrenched financial policies are the true, lasting drivers of the country’s humanitarian disaster.
Development economist Jared Bissinger spoke to DVB about how external shocks are colliding with the regime’s mismanagement, leaving millions of civilians to bear the brunt of an economy on the brink since a military coup five years ago, on Feb. 1, 2021.
“What Myanmar has experienced post-coup is really the effects of economic policies that have caused so much of the country’s economic decline,” Bissinger told DVB. “These aren’t policies that are going away… What you’re seeing in Myanmar now is the result of those policies.” Read more
News by Region
YANGON—Traders told DVB on the condition of anonymity that fuel prices on the black market are up with one liter of gasoline at 10,000 MMK ($2.38 USD) and diesel at 12,000 MMK ($2.85 USD) despite a dip in reference rates from the regime’s Petroleum Products Regulatory Department on April 24.
One litre of 92-octane gasoline dropped 4,735-4,668 MMK ($1.12-1.11 USD) and 95-octane gasoline fell 4,945-4,909 MMK ($1.17-1.16 USD). Diesel prices decreased 6,485-5,752 MMK ($1.50-1.36 USD) per liter for regular and 7,755-7,012 MMK ($1.80-1.66 USD) for premium April 23-27, according to the regime.
SAGAING—Sources told DVB that an unknown number of residents in Yinmabin Township had fled their homes as over 400 regime troops from the Northwestern RMC headquarters in Monywa advanced on the town. Yinmabin is located 28 miles (45 km) west of the region’s capital Monywa.
A resident told DVB that a counteroffensive against the People’s Defence Force (PDF) is underway in Kani and Pale townships, which are located 37-39 miles (59-62 km) north and southwest of Monywa. Kani and Pale, placed under martial law on April 23, have been under PDF control since 2021.
SHAN—The regime state administration reportedly awarded 61 members of the anti-regime Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) over 150 million MMK ($35,700 USD) for surrendering with weapons to the Eastern RMC headquarters in the state capital Taunggyi on Sunday.
The PNLO members who surrendered are from Taunggyi, Nyaungshwe, Hsihseng, Pinlaung, and Mawkmai townships, as well as the Karenni State capital Loikaw. The PNLO armed wing, the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), operates in southern Shan and neighboring Karenni.
KARENNI—Residents of Nanmekhon town in Demoso Township told DVB that three civilians were killed in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or drone, attack on Saturday. Nanmekhon, located nine miles (14 km) west of the state capital Loikaw, is partially controlled by the Karenni resistance.
A source close to the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) told DVB that regime forces are attempting to reassert control over the seven mile (11 km) long road between Nanmekhon and Demoso. The military recaptured Demoso town, located 11 miles (17 km) south of Loikaw, on Aug. 19.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,200 MMK)
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