Two ABFSU leaders transferred to remote prisons

(DVB)–Two All Burma Federation of Student Unions leaders who were recently sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each have been transferred to remote prisons, according to their families.

ABFSU leaders Kyaw Ko Ko and Nyan Linn Aung were sentenced to three years in prison by Mingalar Taung Nyunt township court in Rangoon earlier this month under video laws.

Kyaw Ko Ko was among the political prisoners who met UN special rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana during his recent visit to Burma.

Kyaw Ko Ko’s father Kyaw Aye said he had not been able to see his son since the visit because political inmates are only allowed family visits once every two weeks.

“My son met with Mr Quintana on the 16th but I couldn’t go and visit him as I had just seen him on the 13th,” said Kyaw Aye. Kyaw Aye said he found out his son and Nyan Linn Aung had been moved from Insein to other remote prisons early on Saturday morning, but had not yet been able to confirm where they have been sent.

“I went to a court in Tamwe [on 23 February] to show support for some political activists on trial there,” he said.

“They told me that my son and his colleague were no longer in Insein prison ward 5 where they were previously detained.”

Kyaw Aye said he immediately went to Insein prison and was told by an official there that Kyaw Ko Ko had been transferred to Taunggyi prison in Shan state while Nyan Linn Aung was sent to Bhamo prison in Kachin state.

“I made a phone call to Taunggyi prison to confirm the news but they told me Kyaw Ko Ko had not yet arrived,” Kyaw Aye said.

Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew

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Nargis accused to receive legal help

(DVB)–Six members of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions who were arrested last year after helping victims of cyclone Nargis have been granted permission to have legal representation in their ongoing trial.

The trial is being held in Insein prison special court, where Dr. Newin and his daughter Phyo Phyo Aung, Aung Kyaw San, Phone Pyi Kywe, Shane Yazar Htun and Aung Thant Zin Oo (aka James) are defending government allegations of sedition and the unlawful association acts.

They were arrested for collecting and burying rotting corpses in the aftermath of the cyclone.

Central court lawyer Khin Maung Myint, who has been representing the six since they were arrested, said he was allowed to enter the courtroom during a hearing session on yesterday.

“I was allowed to meet them at the trial [on Tuesday] and I had a talk with them – all of them seemed to be in good health,” he said.

“The next hearing is on 3 March and then I will have to present some necessary documents at the court to get permission to talk on behalf of them at the trial.”

Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew

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ABFSU leader Dee Nyein Linn sentenced to 5 more years in prison - Dee Nyein Linn

By Phanida

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The South Dagon Township Court sentenced 'All Burma Federation of Students Union' (ABFSU) leader Dee Nyein Linn to another five years in prison yesterday, for unlawful association. He has already been serving a prison term of over 10 years.

Earlier, South Dagon Township Police Station House Officer Kyaw Sann Htay acted as prosecutor in the case of the 21 year-old student leader and then the prosecutor was changed. The new prosecutor sentenced him to 5 more years in prison, by charging him with Section 6 of the Unlawful Associations Act.

He was previously sentenced to a total of 10 and half years and now his total prison term would be 15 and half years.

"He was given 5 more years in prison by the South Dagon Township Court in connection with establishing unlawful association, charged under Section 6. Previously he had already been given 10 and half years. Aung Htu from Swan Ah Shin, acted as prosecutor in his case," his aunt told Mizzima.

"I feel very sorry for him. The total prison term given to him is more than half his age. On the other hand, I feel proud of him as he did it not for himself, but for the people. He also said to me, 'you don't need to be sorry, don't cry,' before he was sentenced by the court," his aunt added.

The leadership of ABFSU was reconstituted at the height of the monk-led anti-government demonstration, popularly known as the Saffron Revolution. Dee Nyein Linn was one of the newly reconstituted leaders.

Despite struggling against the military dictatorship, the successive military regimes banned the student organization, ABFSU, so that they had to carry on their movement underground.

Rangoon Western University, Geology major final year student, Dee Nyein Linn was arrested on 23rd October last year, at an apartment in Parami, Rangoon.

He was previously given 6 and a half years prison term with 4 cases including crime against public tranquility charged under section 505(b) of the Penal Code, and another 4 years for rioting cases.

His father Zaw Zaw Min is an 88 Gen Student leader and is serving a 65 years prison term and his grandfather was the elected MP of Htee Linn constituency, who died in Tharyawadi prison.

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104 Years Given to Political Dissident - Bo Min Yu Ko

By MIN LWIN

(Irrawaddy News) -A Burmese court sentenced Bo Min Yu Ko, a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (Upper Burma, ABFSU), to a total of 104 years in prison on January 3, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP).

Bo Min Yu Ko, known as Phyo Gyi, in his early 20s, was sentenced by a special court in Obo Prison in Mandalay. He was arrested on September 18 and charged under different laws, including six charges under the Burmese immigration act, said the AAPP.

Bo Min Yu Ko’s 104-year sentence is the harshest punishment for a political dissident since the recent series of dissident trials which started in October 2008. He was not allowed to be represented by a lawyer, and his family was prevented from attending the trial.

“This is yet another harsh and cruel sentence handed down by the regime’s kangaroo courts,” said Bo Kyi, joint AAPP secretary. “The courts are not independent and simply follow orders from the regime.”

“Criminals sentenced on drug charges are often given relatively light sentences, but political activists are given very long terms of imprisonment,” Bo Kyi said.

Meanwhile, three other members of the ABFSU (Upper Burma) were sentenced by an Obo Prison court in late December.

Kay Thi Aung, 23, who is pregnant, was sentenced to 26 years; Ko Nyi was sentenced to 50 years; and Wai Myo Htoo was sentenced to 26 years, according to Tun Tun, an ABFSU member.

Since October 2008, Burmese military courts set up in prisons across the country have sentenced scores of political dissidents and their supporters on charges relating to involvement in peaceful demonstrations or freedom of expression. At least 280 political activists have been sentenced.

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Political Activist Hospitalized - Kyaw Ko Ko

By SAW YAN NAING
The Irrawaddy News

A prominent Burmese political prisoner, Kyaw Ko Ko, who has been detained in Insein Prison since March 2008, was yesterday moved to the jail’s hospital suffering from jaundice, according to his family in Rangoon.

Kyaw Ko Ko, 27, a leader of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), was arrested by Burmese authorities in March 2008 following his involvement in the Buddhist monk-led uprising in September 2007 and has since been detained at Insein Prison.

Photo: Kyaw Ko Ko
Since his arrest, Kyaw Ko Ko has appeared in court several times, but has not been sentenced. His latest appearance in court was last Friday, said his father.

A master’s degree student from Yangon Economic University, Kyaw Ko Ko called on the Burmese military government to allow Burmese students to exercise their freedom of expression in terms of thinking, writing, forming groups and establishing students’ unions in an interview with The Irrawaddy on the occasion of Burma’s National Day in December 2007.

The ABFSU was active in leading demonstrations during the 2007 uprising and many of its members have since been arrested by Burmese security forces. The students’ organization was originally founded by Gen Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi, in 1936.

Due to poor medical treatment and physical restrictions, two political prisoners—Maung San and Htay Lwin Oo—died in prison last month, according to Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP).

About 138 political prisoners have died in Burmese prisons in recent years, according to AAPP, and there are currently more than 2,100 political activists behind bars.

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