Three Young Men and a Teenager, to be Put On Trial

December 26, 2007
Original report by Naw Say Paw, DVB

Three young men, Ko Si Thu Maung, Ko Ye' Min Oo and Ko Kyi Phu and a teenage University student Maung Ye' Myat Hein, who have been all detained in Insein prison are to be prosecuted under 7 different Sections of an Act. All 4 who have been in the special unit (1), to be prosecuted for acting or intending to disturb the peace and tranquaility of the State and/or the government, planning, plotting and persuading others to follow in the same act, acting in a way which made the public feel fear and frightened, and also for creating a chaotic and disorderly situation. The Sections of the Act under which they are to be prosecuted are 143, 144, 145, 147, 295, 295 (a) and 505 (b), according to Ye' Myat Hein's father U Khin Maung Cho, who visited his son today. It is expected that they are going to be put on trial at the Bahan Magistrate Court, on 2nd January, 2008.

Ye' Myat Hein told his father 'We didn't break any law. We just followed the marching monks on 25th, while holding the traditional student union's flag, peacefully. We did not hold any weapon. There was no chaos or disorder at all, except peace. Therefore, I have no feeling or what so ever towards those so called sections of an Act. However, I am extremely sad. Is our country this bad? I had no idea that our beloved country's situation is this bad. That has saddened me so much. I don't feel, care or even feel frighted about those accusations against me but I am just heart-broken to realise how desperate our country's situation is'.

Ye' Myat Hein, who is 17, was taken away from home by the junta's officials on 10th October. He had been through all forms and methods of torture during the questioning, according to the people who had been released from the prison and also other prison visitors.

'By filing 7 law suits again the underage student, the government is just breaking it's self-issued laws. Moreover, it is threatening and undermining the youth's psycological and social development,' said U Khin Maung Cho.

'According to the legislations laws, 1993, Underage children and young infants law; Section of an Act 37 (a) When a young person, an underage child or an infant is charged and arrested, no hand cuffs or rope must be used (b) they must not be placed among grown up prisoners (c) they must not be subjected to beating or any other form of torturing or threatening. However, Ye' Myat Hein was placed in the mixed ward with 20 other convicted criminals,' he said.

'This section of an Act 37 was issued and endorsed by the government and now they are actually breaking and violating their own laws, themselves.'