According to local residents, a Rohingya returnee was arrested by the AA and sentenced to three years in prison after returning to his home in Maungdaw, raising fears among displaced Rohingya seeking to return home.
Date: June 26, 2026
A Rohingya father who returned to his home in Latha Aung Village, Latha Ward, Maungdaw Township, after fleeing war and displacement has reportedly been arrested by the Arakan Army (AA) and sentenced to three years in prison, according to local residents.
The man, identified as Ue Swa Lu, was among the thousands of Rohingya civilians who fled to neighboring Bangladesh in 2024 to escape the fierce fighting between the AA and Myanmar military forces. Like countless other families, they left everything behind—their homes, belongings, and livelihoods—in a desperate attempt to save their lives.
After enduring months of displacement as refugees, Ue Swa Lu and his family reportedly made the difficult decision to return to their home village, hoping to rebuild their lives despite ongoing restrictions on Rohingya returnees.
According to local sources, their hope was short-lived.
More than one month after returning home, Ue Swa Lu was arrested by the AA and charged with illegal border crossing (Immigration). He was subsequently sentenced to three years' imprisonment, leaving his family once again without its primary breadwinner and forcing them to face renewed uncertainty and hardship.
Local residents allege that under the ULA/AA legal code, Section 13/1 provides for a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment for illegal border crossing. However, they claim that Rohingya individuals have recently been receiving prison terms of three to five years under the same provision.
Community sources further state that under the previous military administration, the same offense generally resulted in six-month prison sentences. They allege that significantly longer prison terms are now being imposed on Rohingya under the current AA/ULA administration.
For many displaced Rohingya families, this case has deepened fear and uncertainty. Families who dream of returning to their homes now worry that the journey back may not lead to safety, but instead to arrest, imprisonment, and renewed suffering. Local residents say the incident has further discouraged many displaced Rohingya from returning, leaving them caught between prolonged exile and fear in their homeland.