Do You Remember The Most Handsome Artist And Man Of Paing Takhon Who Was Detained By The Myanmar Military? Last Wednesday Freed

Paing Takhon. (Instagram/@paing_takhon)

JAKARTA - Do you remember the model, actor and singer who was once among the most handsome men in the world from Myanmar, Paing Takhon? After being hunted and imprisoned for almost a year, he was pardoned and released.

The military regime on Wednesday pardoned and released six celebrities, including acting partners Eaindra Kyaw Zin and Pyay Ti Oo, actor Lu Min and model-actor Paing Takhon, who were arrested for opposing military rule.

The junta announced the four, who had been detained for nearly a year, would be pardoned "for participating in the country's building affairs with their performing arts". Their family confirmed the release, launching The Irrawaddy March 3.

Eaindra Kyaw Zin, Pyay Ti Oo and Paing Takhon, 24, were arrested in April last year and Lu Min was arrested in late February last year for participating in anti-regime protests and supporting the civil disobedience movement against the regime.

They have been held at the notorious Yangon Insein Prison with thousands of other political prisoners, having been sentenced to three years in prison in December under sedition charges.

On Wednesday the junta also pardoned beauty blogger Win Min Than, who was jailed on sedition charges. He had been held in Insein since April last year and was sentenced to three years in December.

The military regime announcement said Win Min Than still faces a case under the Unlawful Association Act, for joining the anti-regime movement.

Meanwhile, award-winning film director Htun Zaw Win, also known as Wyne, who was arrested last month after returning from hiding to his Yangon home, was also released on Wednesday. The regime said it had dropped the case against him. Unlike them, singers Saw Phoe Khwar and Po Po, actor Ye Tike and filmmaker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi remain in custody.

Celebrities were "pardoned from their sentences for participating in nation-building with their arts," the junta said in an announcement published in military-controlled media, citing Myanmar Now.

Paing Takhon was detained in April 2021 in an early morning raid by about 50 soldiers who arrived at his Yangon home in eight military trucks, his sister said in a post on Facebook at the time.

His lawyer, who requested anonymity, said on Wednesday that he had spoken to his client on the phone since he was released. “Paing Takhon has arrived back at his home… All are in good health and have arrived home,” the lawyer told Myanmar Now.

The junta asked Paing Takhon for nothing in return for his release, adding: "He told me he didn't need to sign the pledge."

To note, more than 9,400 people, including writers, activists, politicians, pro-democracy protesters and student activists, are still being held by the junta.

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