A journalist working for Myanmar Now news agency is facing two lawsuits for his comment on the social media critical to a pro-Buddhist organisation the Association for Protection of Race and Religion- more widely known with its Myanmar acronym Ma Ba Tha and the group’s leader U Wirathu. The first lawsuit against Ko Swe Win was filed by a follower of Ma Ba Tha in Mandalay at an instruction of U Wirathu on 7 March. The lawsuit was filed Myanmar Now published an article critical to a social media post by U Wirthu in which he praised the assassins of a prominent Muslim lawyer U Ko Ni. The article quoted another monk from Mandalay who said U Wirthu would go to hell for his praise to killers. Ko Swe Win used that quote in his Facebook post, which was posted on 27 February saying that U Wirathu would go to abyss. The lawsuit against Ko Swe Win, who use Facebook with his account name Kyaw Myo Swe was filed with the No 7 Station Police Station in Aung Myay Thar Zan Township in Mandalay under the section 66 D of Telecommunication Law. The complainant said in the charge sheet that the charges would be withdraw if Ko Swe Win apologised to the monk within seven days. However, in response to the call Ko Swe Win wrote a post on the social media that he would stand against those who wants to do unreligious actions by using the power bestowed to them under the religion. He said even though the authorities failed to take action against someone who openly support criminals, but as a journalist, he thought he has a duty to highlight unlawful acts by a religious person. The second lawsuit against Ko Swe Win was filed in Yangon by a Ma Ba Tha follower on 20 March. Ko Thet Myo Oo, a nationalist from Kyimyin Daing Township filed lawsuit against Ko Swe Win with the Kyauktada Township Court under the charges of causing defame to the religion. The court has accepted the case under the Criminal Procedure Code 202 (1) and ordered police to conduct investigation. Ko Thet Myo Oo in the charge sheet said he has much love and appreciation for U Wirathu and he could not stand a layman rudely attacking a monk. According to legal expert, the charge sheet has not include charges, which could be amounted to be prosecuted under the charges of causing defamation to the religion. He said the actual charge for causing defame to religion is Criminal Procedure Code 295 (A). That section could be used for any action which cause defame to a religion not an individual or a religious person. U Khin Maung Myint, the legal adviser of Ko Swe Win said the accusation against Ko Swe Win was not sufficient to prosecute him under the charges brought against him. Reference: San Taw Chein Daily 21 March. Facebook page of Ba Kaung