Trial of Burmese-American to begin

by Phanida
Tuesday, 13 October 2009 21:46

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The trial of American citizen of Burmese origin Kyaw Zaw Lwin (alias) Nyi Nyi Aung will begin on Wednesday, his lawyers and families said.

Nyi Nyi Aung was arrested at the Rangoon airport while arriving from Bangkok despite having a valid US passport and Burmese visa.

Nyan Win, one of his attorneys, said they were allowed a meeting with Nyi Nyi Aung on Monday and was told that he was charged by the police of fraud and forging documents.

“The trial will begin tomorrow [Wednesday] at 10 a.m. but we still don’t know in which court he will be produced. He has been remanded twice. Now he has to be produced in court or released,” Nyan Win, one of the lawyers, told Mizzima on Tuesday.

“He was remanded under sections 420 (fraud) and 468 (forgery) of the Penal Code,” Nayn Win added.

High Court Advocates Nyan Win and Kyi Win have been registered as Nyi Nyi Aung’s attorney to defend him. Both the lawyers have earlier team up in defending detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was charged, tried and sentenced on August 11.

Nyi Nyi Aung, a former student activist was actively involved in the 1988 students uprising but fled the country after the military crackdown on protesters. He fled to Thailand and later resettled to United States, where he was naturalised as a citizen.

Burma’s state-run media, however, accused Nyi Nyi Aung of collaborating with exiled Burmese organisations and trying to instigate unrest violent in Burma.

He categorically denied all the allegations, his lawyer said.

Nyi Nyi Aung allege that he had been tortured and deprived of food for a week while in detention, he is reportedly fine in health.

His family members have not been allowed to see him since his arrest but were only allowed to hand over some parcels, his aunt Khin Khin Swe, who visited the prison on Monday said.