Jailed activists sentenced for contempt of court

Nine leading Burmese pro-democracy activists, including the former deputy of Aung San Suu Kyi, have been sentenced to six months' imprisonment for contempt of court after complaining that their trials were being held in secret, writes Edward Loxton for The First Post.

All nine have been confined in Rangoon's Insein Prison for more than a year after they were arrested at the start of the uprising that swept Burma last August and September.

Most are leading members of the Burmese opposition 88 Generation Students movement, a group of dissidents who were active during the country's previous uprising, in August 1988. Their leader, Min Ko Naing (pictured), became the right hand man of pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, and has served several terms in jail since 1988.

He and other leaders of the 88 Generation Students movement braved arrest and the violence of pro-regime paramilitary thugs by staging demonstration marches in Rangoon last August to protest skyrocketing petrol and consumer prices. The demonstrations grew into last September's massive countrywide monk-led anti-government protests, which were violently suppressed by troops and riot police. More than 100 people are reported to have died in the clashes.

Min Ko Naing and his eight comrades were arrested in the security sweep that followed last August's demonstrations. They were arraigned earlier this month on sedition charges that carry possible life sentences.

Family members who sought to attend their trials were refused admission to the court, which is sitting in secret behind the walls of Insein Prison. The nine protested and said they would refuse to cooperate with the court unless proceedings were open.

A warning of the severe treatment they can expect was provided by the Insein Prison court's sentencing this week of a political activist, Aung Thein Lwin, to 11 years' imprisonment for his anti-government activities.

FIRST POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2008