Severe sentences handed down to activists
Posted on November 12, 2008
Filed Under Burma news |
The military used force to put down popular protests
Several activists involved in last year’s popular protests against Burma’s ruling military junta were given harsh prison sentences yesterday. Among them were 14 members of the 88 Generation Students group, who were sentenced to 65 years each.
The protests began as small-scale protests against fuel price rises, but quickly snowballed into large scale pro-democracy protests, led by large numbers of the country’s revered monks. The military responded with force, killing at least 31 people according to the UN.
Human Rights Watch has condemned the sentences, called for Burma to immediately exonerate and free about 70 activists who are being tried by unfair courts for their peaceful participation in the protests.
Burma’s military rulers show no respect for law, but these last few weeks show a more concentrated crackdown on dissent clearly aimed at intimidating the population,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “These peaceful activists should not be on trial in the first place, let alone thrown in prison for years after unfair trials.”
Also sentenced yesterday was labour activist, Su Su Nway, to 12 and a half years. Jail terms of between eight to 24 years were also handed out to ten people allied with the National League for Democracy.
Most of the hearings were held behind closed doors and the Democratic Voice of Burma reports in the case of Reverend U Thattama of Garna Puli monastery in Rangoon Twante and Htun Htun Naing, a resident of nearby Insein, the court did not hear their counter arguments. Family members also complained of not being allowed to visit the defendants prior to the sentences being handed down.
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