Judge denies bail to detained students
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Fifteen detained students who were involved in mass student protest in Letpadan were denied bail by the judge at their fourth trial session at the Thayawady court.
At the session on June 2, the judge said their documents were incomplete and that they can post bail again. The next trial session would be on June 9.
Phyo Phyo Aung, a leader of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (Ba-Ka-Tha), said the court is treating the detained students as culprits rather than suspects, and that the authorities should allow the detained students to sit for their examinations.
Defence lawyers Aung Thein and Robert San Aung submitted the photos of the police crackdown against the student protesters to the court, which the court accepted as evidence.
The plaintiff police major said the students’ arrests were in accordance with the law. When the defence lawyers showed photos of police beating and arresting students, the plaintiff police major replied that the police did not beat the students but aimed at them. He added that although he did not witness every incident, the photos were accurate.
When asked if he was aware of the police’s promise at the four-party talk on national education on February 13 not to arrest students, he said he knew about the promise, but action was taken against the students because they continued non-stop protests.
Lawyer Aung Thein objected to the police major’s statement.
MPs Thein Swe, Phyoe Zeyar Thaw and Phyoe Min Thein of the National League for Democracy (NLD) attended the student’s fourth trial session. The families of the detained students told the MPs about the students’ loss of documents, money, phones and other personal items during the police crackdown. The MPs said they came to the court to listen to the voices of the people and would present these cases to the parliament. Then the MPs inquired into the health conditions of the detained students.
“Barbed wires have been raised higher than the previously for security reasons. Last week, problems arose as the students were handcuffed. This week, barbed wires were raised. We don’t like this,” said student leader Min Thway Thit.
Detained civilian Tin Win lost consciousness during the trial and was rushed to Thayawady Hospital. Detained student Ye Win Aung got married to his girlfriend during the trial.
Two underage students were questioned at the juvenile court in Thayawady District.
