The Myanmar army regime has sentenced 4 people to no less than 95 years in jail in current months after junta-controlled courts decided that they had been concerned within the armed resistance motion, in response to sources accustomed to their instances.
Amongst them was an ex-parliamentarian from the Nationwide League for Democracy (NLD), whose elected authorities was ousted within the February 2021 coup. Fifty-two-year-old Win Myint Hlaing beforehand represented Taungdwingyi Township within the native legislature of Magway Area, now a resistance stronghold.
The three different people had reportedly been members of native guerrilla teams. Aung Khant Oo, 29, additionally from Magway, was within the Beikthano Folks’s Defence Army, and Kyaw Thet, 30, and Hnin Maung, 36, had been lively in a resistance group based mostly in Mandalay Area’s Wundwin Township.
All had been convicted of a number of counts of violating the Counterterrorism Regulation this month in addition to in October, and handed jail phrases starting from 95 to 225 years—the longest sentences delivered by the junta for the reason that coup.
Lawmaker Win Myint Hlaing was sentenced to a complete of 148 years for 14 separate convictions within the Magway District Court docket on October 30. Whereas the small print surrounding the instances stay unclear, the 4 sections of the counterterrorism statute below which he was charged—50a, 52a, 51c and 54—are associated to assaults on “state-owned amenities,” the “recruitment” of resistance fighters, or using bombs.
He had already been handed 25 years in jail for 5 different convictions in April, together with incitement below Part 505a of the Penal Code. His complete sentence was 173 years on the time of reporting.
Win Myint Hlaing participated in anti-dictatorship demonstrations within the wake of the coup and went into hiding after the army authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in late February. He was apprehended in November final yr in Yatsauk (Lawksawk), southern Shan State, alongside together with his brother, Zaw Zaw.
He was subsequently interrogated at a army facility within the Shan State capital of Taunggyi for round two weeks earlier than being transferred to Magway Area’s central jail the place he’s at present detained.
A supply near Win Myint Hlaing’s household advised Myanmar Now on the situation of anonymity that a lot of the terror fees filed towards him had been associated to incidents that occurred whereas he was already in junta custody.
“He was accused of involvement in incidents, such because the killing of regime informants and policemen, which occurred after his arrest. He was charged together with these arrested after him,” the household good friend stated.
Citing court docket sources, she defined that the choose on the Magway District Court docket who heard his instances was reportedly “stunned” when Win Myint Hlaing’s defence lawyer emphasised that his shopper was already in detention when the assaults occurred.
The army additionally accused him of main the Beikthano Folks’s Defence Army, in response to a junta assertion launched after his arrest.
Two months after the army captured Win Myint Hlaing, Aung Khant Oo—who was a member of the resistance group—was arrested by junta troopers.
Aung Khant Oo was later charged with the unlawful use of explosives, along with a number of anti-terrorism and incitement fees. After almost 10 months in detention awaiting trial, he was sentenced to a complete of 203 years on November 15 by the identical regime-controlled Magway District Court docket.
A good friend and fellow member of the Beikthano resistance group, advised Myanmar Now that Aung Khant Oo was additionally accused of involvement in assaults on junta targets which occurred after his arrest.
“Included in his instances had been incidents that occurred in February [2022] and later. That’s why his sentences turned so lengthy. There have been greater than 10 instances,” Aung Khant Oo’s good friend stated.
Myanmar Now could be unable to confirm his claims independently.
In the meantime, Kyaw Thet and Hnin Maung, from Wundwin, had been reportedly arrested in January this yr and had been each handed exhaustive jail phrases in addition to loss of life sentences for his or her involvement within the Mandalay guerrilla group.
Whereas particulars surrounding their instances stay unclear, Kyaw Thet has been ordered to serve 225 years and Hnin Maung 95 years, along with being sentenced to loss of life, in response to Kyar Ye, a fellow resistance fighter.
Each had been initially held in Meiktila Jail, however transferred to a bigger facility in Myingyan the place inmates going through phrases of greater than a decade are continuously incarcerated.
A veteran defence legal professional advised Myanmar Now that judges are prohibited from handing down separate sentences for violations of the identical terrorism fees for acts allegedly dedicated inside the similar yr.
“It’s instilling worry into the folks. However the persons are not afraid. These [judges] who’ve handed down these sentences will find yourself with a nasty repute,” stated the veteran lawyer.
Sources near Win Myint Hlaing and Aung Khant Oo stated that their members of the family had been in a position to meet with them earlier than they had been sentenced, however haven’t seen them for the reason that convictions.
The household good friend of the previous MP stated that he was in good well being although he required common remedy for hypertension.
“I hope to reunite with him quickly as I consider our revolution will win,” she stated.
The good friend of Aung Khant Oo advised Myanmar Now that he had inspired his fellow resistance fighters to proceed their wrestle.
“He stated that he was ‘hanging in there’ and urged us to maintain preventing.”
In keeping with knowledge collected by the monitoring group Help Affiliation for Political Prisoners, almost 13,000 folks in Myanmar had been behind bars on the time of reporting, with some awaiting trial and others already convicted. Eighty-six have reportedly been sentenced to loss of life.
Further reporting by Aung Naing
