Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10RANGOON28
2010-01-14 11:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
BURMA: THREE NLD ACTIVISTS SENTENCED TO PRISON
how-toVZCZCXRO7862 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO DE RUEHGO #0028 0141133 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141133Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9742 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2379 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 5876 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9439 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7064 RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 2395 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2807 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000028
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: THREE NLD ACTIVISTS SENTENCED TO PRISON
Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000028
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: THREE NLD ACTIVISTS SENTENCED TO PRISON
Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Embassy Rangoon confirmed media reports that an
Insein Township Court sentenced three National League for
Democracy (NLD) members on January 13 to three years
imprisonment with hard labor. Each was charged with
violating the "Unlawful Associations Act," which makes it
illegal for anyone to be a member of, associate with, or give
or receive assistance to an unlawful association. (Note: In
Burma, all associations must be registered with the
government; any unregistered group is therefore unlawful.)
2. (SBU) Shwe Joe, Sein Hlaing, and Ma Cho (aka Ma Myint
Myint San) allegedly communicated with the NLD in exile and
accepted illegal contributions. According to media reports,
the defendants' attorney, Kyaw Hoe, said no civilians
testified during the trial and the government presented no
evidence to support its charges. The verdict was based
solely on police testimony, he claimed.
3. (C) Opposition lawyer Aung Thein told us January 14 that
the defendants' lawyers will appeal the verdict to a higher
court. He said the defendants are members of the NLD's
social assistance committee and have denied the charges being
levied against them. Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
member Maung Maung Lay informed us the three drew the ire of
authorities for assisting families of political prisoners and
others. The police reportedly arrested them on March 6,
2009; they have been detained at Insein prison since that
time.
DINGER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: THREE NLD ACTIVISTS SENTENCED TO PRISON
Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Embassy Rangoon confirmed media reports that an
Insein Township Court sentenced three National League for
Democracy (NLD) members on January 13 to three years
imprisonment with hard labor. Each was charged with
violating the "Unlawful Associations Act," which makes it
illegal for anyone to be a member of, associate with, or give
or receive assistance to an unlawful association. (Note: In
Burma, all associations must be registered with the
government; any unregistered group is therefore unlawful.)
2. (SBU) Shwe Joe, Sein Hlaing, and Ma Cho (aka Ma Myint
Myint San) allegedly communicated with the NLD in exile and
accepted illegal contributions. According to media reports,
the defendants' attorney, Kyaw Hoe, said no civilians
testified during the trial and the government presented no
evidence to support its charges. The verdict was based
solely on police testimony, he claimed.
3. (C) Opposition lawyer Aung Thein told us January 14 that
the defendants' lawyers will appeal the verdict to a higher
court. He said the defendants are members of the NLD's
social assistance committee and have denied the charges being
levied against them. Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
member Maung Maung Lay informed us the three drew the ire of
authorities for assisting families of political prisoners and
others. The police reportedly arrested them on March 6,
2009; they have been detained at Insein prison since that
time.
DINGER