Political Prisoners - U Aung Soe Myint to appeal

DVB ( 27 October 2003 )

The legal representatives of U Aung Soe Myint, the MP of Taungoo who was sentenced to 7 years in prison are intending to lodge an appeal at a district court in Taungoo on the 30 October.

He was arrested by the military intelligence (MI) agents on the 31 August and charged with possessing a license-less motorcycle despite the fact that there are more than 2000 similar ones in the town.

U Mya Hla of NLD Legal Aid (Pegu Division) said that if the district court rejects the appeal, the legal team of U Aung Soe Myint is prepared and planning to lodge the appeal at higher courts including Rangoon Central Court.

He also said that U Mya Hla has been suffering from diabetes and high blood pressures and he could be paralyzed as he has been frequently ill with outbreaks of boils on his legs.

At the same time, political prisoners at Thayet Prison in central Burma are said to be stopped from seeing their relatives because there had been an escape attempt by criminals on the 14 October.

The criminals were not only locked up in isolation units, political prisoners including the chairman of Chauk Township NLD - U Kyi Toe, an Arakan NLD member - U Kaung Zan and Saw Tin Oo who was sentenced to death were forced to cancel scheduled meetings with their family members, according to the local people.