Myo Ko Ko San released after defamation charges scuttled

By KYAW PHONE KYAW | FRONTIER

YANGON — Ma Myo Ko Ko San was released from the Yankin Township police station Friday morning, according to friends of the transgender model and celebrity, after officers failed to gather evidence implicating her in the defamation of film actress Ma Wut Hmone Shwe Yi.

Fears had been raised over the physical safety of the model, who was due to appear before a judge on January 31, following her Tuesday arrest by plainclothes officers at Yangon Airport and her temporary remand in a cell with male prisoners.

Taking to social media after her release, Myo Ko Ko San said police had concluded she was not responsible for administering the Cele Cele Small Facebook page, posts on which had disparaged Wut Hmone Shwe Yi’s appearance and alleged a number of romantic liaisons with prominent members of Yangon society.

“The Criminal Investigation Department already investigated my phone and confirmed I was clear of this accusation,” she wrote. “I just want to say not to worry about me and to inform those who were concerned about me.”

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She added that officers were still in possession of her phone for further investigation, and urged her fans not to publicly speculate about the true author of the Cele Cele Small posts.

Frontier could not contact Myo Ko Ko San directly on Friday. Her friend, Shin Thant, said the model would hold a press conference soon to explain the case.

Human rights lawyer U Robert San Aung told Frontier that if Myo Ko Ko San had been falsely accused and detained under the Telecommunications Law, she would have grounds for a counterclaim under the false charges and defamation provisions of the Penal Code.

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