Between 23 and 24 July 2026, Myanmar junta forces arrested 19 members of the Ar Yone Oo Social Development Association, a prominent civil society organization (CSO) delivering humanitarian and educational assistance across the country. On 23 July 2026, 15 members were arbitrarily detained at a military checkpoint while traveling from Monywa Township (Sagaing Region) to Mandalay city. The following day, authorities raided the CSO’s headquarters in Yangon, arresting four additional staff members. Sources indicate the junta targeted the individuals on suspicion of supporting education programs operated by the National Unity Government (NUG).
Founded in 2008 following Cyclone Nargis, Ar Yone Oo has been a vital provider of humanitarian relief and community development. Since September 2023, the organization collaborated as an implementing partner with UNICEF, delivering crucial educational and psychosocial support to students and teachers across conflict-affected Yinmarbin District in Sagaing Region.
As of mid-August 2026, three weeks following the arrests, the detainees remain held incommunicado. The junta has released no official information regarding their status, physical locations, or any formal charges. When questioned about the arrests, UNICEF Myanmar directed inquiries to the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Myanmar, which has thus far failed to issue any public response or statement demanding the release of their local implementing partners.