BURMA: MORE CONFIRMED CONVICTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000882 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: BURMA: MORE CONFIRMED CONVICTIONS REF: RANGOON 880 RANGOON 00000882 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol Officer Sean O'Neill for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) MORE CONVICTIONS -------------- ¶1. (SBU) A reliable source has reported that an additional 24 political detainees have been convicted since November 7, in addition to the 17 convictions we reported reftel. This brings the number of political detainees convicted in the past week to at least 41, all of whom received prison sentences of between two and 65 years. We are also seeking to confirm reports that an additional nine Muslim activists from Rakhine State were sentenced to prison on November 11. Some of these convictions have been reported in the exile and international press, but so far the official Burmese media has remained silent. ¶2. (C) On November 13 Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP) member Maung Maung Lay provided us with a list of those persons he confirmed the regime has convicted (see para 4). He and other HRDP members obtained this information by speaking with family members and personally visiting Insein prison on November 11 and 12. Maung Maung Lay noted that several of his fellow HRDP members are on that list, and said he believes more arrests and convictions may be on the way. He pledged to continue to document convictions of political detainees despite the personal risk he must undertake to do so. COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The list of those confirmed convicted includes pro-democracy activists, human rights workers, labor advocates, monks, an internet blogger, a musician, and a poet. Some of those convicted participated in the August and September 2007 peaceful protests. Others worked to document human rights abuses in the wake of the crackdown. Some, like poet Saw Wai, merely expressed their opinions about the regime. For all their differences, these individuals have one thing in common: they peacefully advocated change and, in so doing, earned the ire of this regime. End Comment. ¶4. (C) HRDP has reported that the following persons were convicted between November 7 and November 11: - Tun Tun Naing, activist, sentenced to 19 years on 11/7. - U Thadamma, monk and participant in the September demonstrations, sentenced to two years on 11/7. - Nay Phone Latt, internet blogger, sentenced to 20 years on 11/10. - Thin July Kyaw, friend of Nay Phone Latt, sentenced to 2 years 6 months on 11/10. - Saw Wai, poet, sentenced to two years on 11/10. - Min Zeya, democracy activist and 88 Generation Students (88GS) member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Jimmy (aka Kyaw Minn Yu),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Zaw Zaw Min, democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Than Tin (aka Kyi Than),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Zeyar (aka Kalama),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Ant Bwe Kyaw, democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Kyaw Kyaw Htwe (aka Markie),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Pandeik Htun, democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Thet Zaw (aka Zaukhtoe),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Thin Thin Aye (aka Mie Mie),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Mar Mar Oo, democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. RANGOON 00000882 002.2 OF 002 - Nilar Thein, democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Sandar Min (aka Shwee),democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Thet Thet Aung, democracy activist and 88GS member, sentenced to 65 years on 11/11. - Su Su Nwe, labor activist, sentenced to 12 years six months on 11/11. - Bo Bo Win Hlaing, colleague of Su Su Nwe, sentenced to 8 years on 11/11. - Aung Zaw Oo, human rights activist and member of HRDP, sentenced to 12 years on 11/11. - Kyaw Soe, human rights activist and member of HRDP, sentenced to 12 years on 11/11. - Maung Kan, human rights activist and member of HRDP, sentenced to 12 years on 11/11. - Aung Myint, human rights activist and member of HRDP, sentenced to two years on 11/11. - Hlaing Win, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to eight years on 11/11. - Pyae Phyo Hlaing, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to eight years on 11/11. - Nay Lin Aung (aka Lin Lin),human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to 22 years on 11/11. - Thiha Thet Zin, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to eight years on 11/11. - Aung Myo Paing, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to 10 years on 11/11. - Thiha Aung, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to 10 years on 11/11. - Phyo Maung Maung Soe, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to 10 years on 11/11. - Myat Lin Htut, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to 10 years on 11/11. - Thein Zaw, human rights activist from Irrawaddy Division, sentenced to 10 years on 11/11. - Win Maw, musician, sentenced to 2 years on 11/11 - Six unnamed monks from Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery in South Okalaba township in Rangoon, sentenced to 11 years and six months on 11/11 (Note: Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery was involved in the monk-led demonstrations of September 2007 and was raided by the regime as a result.) DINGER