NLD member given five years’ jail

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 00:11 Myint Maung

New Delhi (Mizzima) – A former member of the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Malaysia branch was sentenced to a five-year jail term in an eastern Rangoon court for illegally entering the country and alleged contact with an illegal group, according to a family friend.

Than Myint Aung, 31, was sentenced to two years under the Emergency Immigration Act and three years under the Illegal Associations Act by Judge Nyunt Nyunt Win of the Thingangyun Township court.

“His e-mail account was investigated by the officers during the interrogation period, in which they found supporting evidence that he was a member of NLD LA Malaysia branch”, a person who close to Than Myint Aung’s family said.

He has also been charged with violating the Electronics Act, section 33 (a), which contains provisions that establish long prison terms for disseminating news considered to tarnish the junta’s image. It has been increasingly used to silence opposition voices. That case will be heard at Tamwe East District Court on Friday.

Police said they had arrested him on March 4 at a bus stop in Tamwe Township on suspicion of involvement in a bomb blast in Rangoon. He had applied for a passport to work in Malaysia again before he was arrested.

The previous day bombs had exploded in Padomma Park, Sanchaung Township and no casualties were reported. In this case, the police linked him to the bomb blast but failed to produce evidence, and the charge was expunged.

Than Myint Aung worked in Malaysia from 2002 to 2008 and was a member of National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Malaysia branch, the sources said.