ENGLISH DEYEA NEWS

By MIN LWIN | Lawyers representing detained political activists are facing increasing harassment by Burmese authorities, according to sources in Rangoon.

Last Thursday, Nyi Nyi Htwe, who represented 11 youth members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was sentenced to six months imprisonment for contempt of court.

The following day, a second defense lawyer, Nyi Nyi Hlaing, was ordered to report to the Rangoon divisional court on Monday. Sources told The Irrawaddy that Nyi Nyi Hlaing obeyed the order on Monday but it was not known what happened to him.

The 11 NLD youth members defended by Nyi Nyi Htwe were charged with inciting public unrest after they marched to Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda to mark the birthday of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on June 19, 2007.

Nyi Nyi Htwe and Nyi Nyi Hlaing are among 13 lawyers defending detained political activists, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). The others were named as Aung Thein, Kin Maung Shein, Myint Thaung, Kyaw Hoe, Maung Maung Lay, Tin Maung Oo, Saw Kyaw Kyaw Min, Phoe Phyu, Tin Toe, Hla Myint and female lawyer Khin Htay Kyawe.

Prison sentences of six months were also handed out last week to leading activist Min Ko Naing and eight other members of the 88 Generation Students group after they protested against a ban on family members attending the trials. The nine accused were later transferred from Rangoon’s Insein prison to Maubin prison in Irrawaddy Division, making it even more difficult for families and friends to visit.

One of the group, Hla Myo Naung, is suffering from serious eye problems, according to
Aung Tun, brother of detained 88 Generation Students leader Ko Ko Gyi.

Hla Myo Naung was arrested in October 2007 as he was on his way to a Rangoon clinic for an eye operation. The operation was subsequently performed in prison but failed to save the sight of one eye.