MDCF activist gets jail sentence
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The Kyauktada Township Court on June 4 handed a three-month jail term with hard labour to pro-democracy activist Htin Kyaw from Movement for Democracy Current Force (MDCF).
He led a protest in the city centre in February against the government’s forced eviction of villagers from Thamikalay Village in Hlugu Township. He applied for the protest permission from the township administrator, who turned down the application because it was filed three hours after the protest began. The activist however successfully sought the permission from the township police force prior to staging the protest.
More than 50 people participated in the protest.
He was charged under Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law.
“The police gave me the green light, but the township administrator rejected it, For that reason, I was tried under Section 18 and received the jail sentence and hard labour,” said Htin Kyaw, shortly after the court verdict.
Five hearings followed the charges which were filed on February 18. At the latest hearing on June 5, the judge passed the verdict.
The MDCF activist was also charged under Section 505 (b) in eleven townships as he distributed the leaflets, urging the public not to trust the government.
Htin Kyaw is facing another lawsuit under the same section in Bahan Township Court after holding a protest in front of the house of National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
