"Letpadaung convictions taint the legal system", 22 May 2015

U Nay Myo Zin...was one of the six human rights activists – together with Daw Naw Ohn Hla, Daw Sein Htwe, Ko Tin Htut Paing, Daw San San Win and U Than Swe – who were subsequently sentenced to four years and four months in prison with hard labour...Their conviction, after a trial that didn’t meet basic standards of fairness and due process, highlights the tremendous pressure on the country’s judiciary at a time when Myanmar desperately needs to show improvements in the rule of law.The protesters were convicted of violating section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law and sections 147, 505(b) and 353 of the penal code, for rioting, publishing or circulating information which may cause public fear or alarm and may incite persons to commit offences against the state or against the public tranquility, and assaulting or preventing a public servant from the discharge of his duty, respectively. The charges related to their peaceful demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Yangon on December 30, 2014, calling on Myanmar authorities to carry out an urgent and impartial investigation into the death of Daw Khin Win. She was shot dead on December 22, 2014, while demonstrating against land confiscations and forced evictions at the Letpadaung copper mine...The lack of accountability for the killing of Daw Khin Win and the incident three years ago stands in contrast to the rapid convictions of the peaceful demonstrators and the harsh sentences meted out. The International Commission of Jurists has observed and documented the pre-trial and trial phases of the case, and considers that they grossly violate international standards of fair trial.