Pakkoku 4's Case Hearing Adjourned 6 Times

December 27, 2007
Original report by Aye Nai, DVB

Four men, the first to be arrested shortly after the monks protest in Pakkoku, Magwe Division, are still being detained in Thayet prison, waiting to be put on trial as their case has been adjourned many times due to the absence of the prosecutors' witnesses, it is reported.

U Thant Shin, U Sein Lin, U Nay La and U Thar Aung were arrested on 8th September and have been in detention since then. All four have been arrested and charged under a section of Act 147 : for disorder and creating a disturbance. U Thant Shin has also been charged under Emergency Law, a section of Act 5 (j) and the Court Hearing for his case are being held in a building near the main gate of Thayet prison and not in a magistrate court.

The four are the first ones to be arrested on 8th September, after the brutal crackdown of on hundreds of parading monks, who were peacefully reciting and radiating love and affection to every individual who were badly affected by the sudden increase of the fuel price.

Yesterday's appointment was the 8th time they appeared in court for the hearing but apart from the first two hearings, no witnesses for the prosecution turned up, so the last 6 hearings have been adjourned in succession, according the friends of family members, who made an effort to be at each hearing at Thayet, travelling from Pakkoku.

U Aung Thein, the senior legal adviser explained that if the trial dates are being postponed many times like this, the defendants have the right to demand the presence of the prosecutor's witnesses and if they failed to appear on 3 occasions, then the warrant should be issued for their appearance at court.

The next hearing is due on 9th January 2008.