Junta Navy Continues to Arrest and Torture Local Fishermen Fishing in the Arakan Sea

News March 5, 2026

Junta Navy Investigating Civilian Boats and Fishermen Working (photocrd)

Local fishermen have reported that the military council's (junta) navy is arresting and subjecting them to torture while they are fishing in the Arakan Sea.

In recent days, five local fishermen from Ngapali Beach who ventured out to deep-sea fishing were arrested by the terrorist military council's navy. The navy seized their boat and threw them into the sea, according to local sources.

Due to being thrown overboard, the fishermen drifted in the open sea until another fishing boat spotted and rescued them, saving their lives.

A person close to the rescued fishermen stated: “They left Ngapali Beach in one boat to go fishing. The military navy spotted them, called them over to their vessel, and detained them. The navy asked, ‘Do you want to die by being killed on our navy ship, or do you want to die in the water?’ When they replied that they preferred to die in the water, the navy confiscated their boat, gave each of them one empty shell (for bailing water), and kicked them off the ship into the sea.”

Local fishermen in the Arakan region are well aware of the arrests and torture carried out by the military navy, yet due to livelihood needs, they continue to risk their lives by heading out to deep-sea fishing.

In January, the navy also arrested two fishing boats from Pyaing Taung Village in Pauktaw Township, detaining 10 fishermen and seizing fishing nets valued at over 6 million kyats.

In the deep-sea areas of the Arakan region, the terrorist military council's navy vessels are actively patrolling. They routinely open fire with heavy and light weapons on fishermen and their boats, carry out arrests, torture, killings, and confiscate fishing nets and vessels on a daily basis.

source@onenationnews