Burma: Trial against 70 Letpadan student activists proceeds
Event- Country
- Myanmar
- Initial Date
- Mar 10, 2015
- Event Description
Seventy activists have appeared in Tharawaddy court for the first time since their trial was relocated from Letpadan Township, also in Pegu Division, where they were arrested for their part in an education protest on 10 March. One defendant, Yan Paing Soe, told DVB that the hearing on 30 April involved formal procedures, such as transferring powers of attorney and setting a hearing of the case against three "fugitive' student leaders, Myat Thu, Ye Yint Kyaw and Kyaw Ko Ko. "We have been told today[Thursday] that the court will first hear the case against the "fugitives', so our case will not yet be heard," said Yan Paing Soe. 127 people were arrested during a police crackdown on a sit-in in Letpadan on 10 March. Seventy of those who were involved in the protest against the National Education Law have been charged held on five charges each, including rioting and disturbing the peace. Some are also facing additional charges in other townships. The progress of the prosecution has been sluggish, with the court on Thursday setting a date of 12 May to hear the rest of the case. "We have been brought before the court many times, but our case is yet to be heard," said Yan Paing Soe. Another student activist told DVB the defendants on Thursday had been kept apart from their family members by metal fencing. "We were allowed to meet our parents, but only through metal screens, like during a prison visit, and we weren't allowed to speak freely," said Man Naw. Myint Moe Khine, the mother of Yan Paing Soe, said: "It wasn't easy - we couldn't even speak openly to our children, and the whole thing was very inconvenient. A court house is supposed to be open and transparent." UPDATE 16/06/2015 Activists seek bail at Tharawaddy court hearing Around 70 activists appeared in Tharawaddy district court on 16 June for their seventh hearing. They are being tried on charges relating to their involvement in education reform protests earlier this year that culminated in the violent disassembling of a sit-in by police in Letpadan on 10 March. Several of the accused sought bail, with applications accepted by the court pending approval, amongst them seven students - Than Swe, Ye Win Aung, Min Chit Thu, Wai Yan Min Lwin, Min Thu Shein, Myat Min Maw, Kyaw Zaw Khant and Nyein Kyaw Thu - from Prome[Pyay] University of Distance Learning who had already had their applications denied. The group are next expected to appear in court on 23 June. Khin Hlaing, who was hospitalised in Rangoon after collapsing and coughing up blood at the previous court appearance on 9 June, also applied for bail, as did Nyein Kyaw Thuwho, a non-student activist who is also seeking bail for health reasons. "The court today heard the[witness] examination of police official Phone Myint regarding the case of 11 students who have previously been granted bail. The hearing of two defendants in a juvenile trial was also continued," Hla Myo Myint, a lawyer representing some of the defendants, told DVB. In attendance at the hearing were parents of some of the activists, who reported that the defendants were mostly in good health, although some were experiencing stomach pain and headaches. Protest leader Min Thwe Thit told a different story, telling DVB that the incarcerated activists were denied medical assistance, and even when they received treatment in prison, the diagnoses was often wrong. "The most common conditions among the inmates have been gastric-related and internal injuries. One of the inmates who was beaten on the nape of the neck has gone completely deaf in one ear. Another inmate is suffering from a constant headache and three others have swollen stomachs, and two of them in the past week could only eat boiled rice." "We did get treatment in the prison but we cannot know if we are being given the right treatment for our conditions. For example, in the case of Ko Khin Hlaing, the[prison doctors] initially diagnosed him with swelling of the lung but later the[public hospital] found out he had a stomach rapture. It is we who have to suffer the consequences of such wrong treatments." Phyo Phyo Aung, the general-secretary of the All-Burma Federation of Student Unions, was handed her Citizen of Burma award by her father as she appeared at the courthouse. He had collected the prize, which aims to honour individuals or organisations who champion social causes in Burma, on her behalf at a ceremony last week. Around 100 people across Burma are standing trial at Tharawaddy, Insein and Myingyan courts for their involvement in the education protests earlier this year against the widely unpopular National Education Law which, activists say, stifles educational freedom.
- Impact of Event
- 70
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Right to education
- Right to health
- Right to liberty and security
- Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Active
- Event Location
Latitude: 16.7992741
Longitude: 96.1501142
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 30 April 2015, the cases against three 'fugitive' student activists Myat Thu, Ye Tint Kyaw and Kyaw Ko Ko were also formally heard, The hearing involved formal procedures such as transferring powers of attorney and setting a hearing of the case against three activists. Meanwhile, 70 activists were yet to be heard. Activists have appeared in Tharawaddy Court were arrested for their part in an education protest on 10 March 2015. UPDATE 16 June 2015 On 16 June 2015, 70 activists appeared in Tharawaddy district court for their 7th hearing. Several of the accused sought bail, with applications accepted by the court pending approval. Protest leader Min Thwe Thit told DVB that the incarcerated activists were denied medical assistance, and even when they received treatment in prison, the diagnoses was often wrong. Tin Win, who collapsed in Tharawaddy courthouse on 3 June, has received surgery at Rangoon General Hospital. He reportedly received injuries to his neck and ribs after being beaten by police at Letpadan. After collapsing on 10 June when he attended a court hearing, fellow activist Khin Hlaing was hospitalised and found to be suffering from a gastrointestinal rupture. Several other students in Tharawddy prison are still bruised from the beating they received at their arrest and are in need of medical attention.