REGIME DETAINED NLD MEMBERS PRIOR TO EXPECTED ASSK

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000490 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: REGIME DETAINED NLD MEMBERS PRIOR TO EXPECTED ASSK VERDICT JULY 31; MOST NOW RELEASED REF: RANGOON 482 Classified By: P/E Chief Jennifer Harhigh for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) Over 50 NLD Members Arrested July 30-31 -------------- ¶1. (C) Burmese authorities detained 16 members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Rangoon and approximately 20 NLD members in both Magwe (central Burma) and Mandalay during the evening of July 30 and the morning of July 31 in anticipation of the then-scheduled verdict in the ASSK trial. Many were later released; authorities continue to hold two in Rangoon and two in Magwe. The NLD is seeking to confirm how many are still detained in Mandalay. ¶2. (C) NLD spokesman Nyan Win reported that some of those detained are members of the Tuesday Prayer Group, pro-democracy activists who used to visit Rangoon's Shwedagon Pagoda every Tuesday to pray for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners; others are regular participants in the vigils NLD Central Executive Committee member Win Tin has been leading outside Insein Prison during Aung San Suu Kyi's trial sessions. Preemptive Arrests -------------- ¶3. (C) According to 88 Generation Students (88GS) activist Toe Kyaw Hlaing, who initially informed us of the arrests, authorities told those detained they were being arrested to prevent any disturbances related to the announcement of the verdict, then expected July 31. (Note: Per reftel, judges announced July 31 the verdict is postponed until August 11. End note.) Many of the detainees are allies of 88GS, Toe Kyaw Hlaing added. Nyan Win told us authorities first asked the activists to refrain from holding their trial vigil or participating in prayers. When they refused, police took them into custody. DINGER