Remember the Burma Crackdown? 14 students sentenced to 65 years

[Ichingcarpenter]

14 leaders of the 88 generation students have been sentenced today to 65 years imprisonment each for their involment in Saffron Revolution led by the Buddhist monks.

The leaders are :
Ko Jimmy , Ko Min Zeya, Ko Panneik Tun, Ko Ant Bwe Kyaw, Ko Zeya, Ko Thet Zaw, Ko Thant Tin, Ko Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, Ko Zaw Zaw Min, Ma Nilar Thein, Ma Mar Mar Oo, Ma Sandar Min, Ma Mee Mee and Ma Thet Thet Aung.

The leader included Ko Jimmy and his wife, Nilar Thein, who had to abandon her four-month-old daughter when she went into hiding during the Saffron Revolution. Nilar Thein was arrested in September after more than a year on the run.

Last Friday their defence lawyer, U Aung Thein was also sentenced to four months for contempt of court.

Added: Ko Pyay Phyo Hlaing was sentenced to 24 years in prison, Nay Lin Aung for 22 years, A Buddhist monk Ven. Ashin Saddhama from Twantay Township and Ko Htun Htun from Insein Township were also sentenced to 19 years each, Ma Su Su Nway, a young villager and human rights defender was sentenced to 12 years ,Nyan Lin Htut, Thein Zaw, Pye Phyo Aung, Aung Myo Paing and Phyo Maung Maung Soe were sentenced to 10 years each and Thiha Thet Tin and Thiha Aung Aung were sentenced to eight years each.

http://www.ashinmettacara.org/2008/11/burma-myanmar-14-leaders-of-88.html

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Reuters story on this

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military junta sentenced at least 11 dissidents involved in monk-led protests last year to 65 years in jail on Tuesday, opposition figures said, a major blow to the pro-democracy movement before a 2010 election.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) and exiled dissidents in Thailand said the group, all of whom played a role in another brutally suppressed uprising in 1988, were sentenced at a closed-door hearing in Yangon's notorious Insein prison.

The group included Ko Jimmy and his wife, Nilar Thein, who had to abandon her four-month-old daughter when she went into hiding during the August 2007 crackdown over fuel price protests.

Nilar Thein was arrested in September after more than a year on the run.

The United Nations says at least 31 people were killed when the former Burma's military rulers sent in troops to end the mass demonstrations led by columns of shaven-headed Buddhist monks, the biggest challenge to military rule in 20 years.

Nine other democracy activists from the so-called "88 Generation Students Group" were sentenced to six months in jail last month for contempt of court when they tried to argue their trials should be not be held behind closed doors.

Their defense lawyer, Aung Thein, has since also been sentenced to jail for contempt in an apparent move by the junta to deny all legal rights to political prisoners, of whom human rights groups say there are more than 2,000.

>>>>>>snip

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4AA2B220081111?rpc=64



President George W Bush has "made it clear that we will not stand by as the regime tries to silence the voices of the Burmese people through repression and intimidation," said Adam Szubin, director of the US treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.- 27 September 2007

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