by Mizzima News
Tuesday, 22 January 2008 00:00
The intervention of the International Labour Organization (ILO) seems to be the only hope for the family members of six labour rights activists, who have been sentenced to long term imprisonment, by the authorities.
The family of the labour rights activists, who were arrested on May Day for organizing labour rights discussions at the American Centre in Rangoon, said they had appealed to the ILO to intervene in the case and secure their release.
One of the relatives of the detained activists said, "They [the ILO] have told us that they would try their best and would meet the detainees. Without help from the ILO, we have no hope because they [the junta] have sentenced the activists to lengthy prison terms," he added.
However, the ILO office in Rangoon declined to comment.
The Burmese authorities, meanwhile, sentenced four of the activists, Thu Rein Aung, Wai Lin, Myo Min and Kyaw Min to 28 years of prison term and Kyaw Kyaw and Nyi Nyi Zaw to 20 years.
The activists, who were sentenced in September without a defense counsel, continued to be detained at Burma's notorious Insein prison, relatives, who visit the detainees once a week, said.
Aung Thein, the defense counsel of those arrested said, the divisional Court has rejected their appeal to reconsider the sentences of the activists.
"We are now in the process of filing a petition to the High Court. We have submitted an application to allow a petition. This is our only hope to fight for the detainees," Aung Thein said.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
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