Myanmar court reopens trial of two Muslim activists

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar

A Myanmar court has reopened a trial of two Muslims -- already given two years jail on immigration offenses -- on charges of contacting a blacklisted organization under article 17 of the Unlawful Association Act.

According to Human Rights groups, the sentences illustrate that courts are bowing to pressure from the nationalist anti-Muslim monks, who have claimed that the duo are encouraging interfaith mating and working with those who betray their religion.

The man and woman's lawyer told Anadolu Agency by phone Wednesday that police had presented “funny and ridiculous” forensic evidence to the court.

“They gave to the court printed photos of Zaw Zaw Latt with a gun that he posted on Facebook last year,” said Thein Than Oo.

The images -- showing Ko Zaw Zaw Latt with rebels, holding a rifle, and in the company of Buddhist monks, in many cases smiling and laughing -- were posted to Facebook soon after a 2013 trip to Laiza, the stronghold of Kachin Independence Army (KIA) rebels.

They were seized on by the journal of a Buddhist hardline group which claimed Zaw Zaw Latt was working with “Buddhist monks who betray Buddhism” and referenced his contact with the KIA and the photograph of him holding a rifle.

“No one knows who he will be pointing the gun at [next],” claimed journal Ahtu Mashi.

The 28-year-old man and 34-year-old woman are among three activists on trial from interfaith group Thint Myat Lo Thu Myar (Peace Seekers), which was founded by a Buddhist monk in 2013 after anti-Muslim riots broke out in Meiktila in central Myanmar.

On Feb. 26, a court in Mandalay handed Zaw Zaw Lat, Pwint Phyu Latt and Hindu activist Zaw Win Bo sentences of two-years prison with hard labor for crossing Myanmar's frontier with India, during their trip to Laiza.

Thein Than Oo said that he was only informed hours before the court made its decision last month that they would receive such a sentence.

If found guilty of the new charge, the man and woman could be sentenced to a further three years imprisonment and also a fine for breaking article 17.

The lawyer claimed that the charges and sentence are because of pressure from Buddhist hardline group Ma Ba Tha (the Organization for the Protection of Race and Religion).

Zaw Zaw Lat was arrested in July 2015 after Ma Ba Tha -- and other religious nationalists -- waged a public campaign on social media and through Ahtu Mashi against him.

“My clients would be sentenced again under this charge until the country’s judiciary system is freed from intervention,” Thein Than Oo said.

Mandalay is Myanmar's second largest city and the stronghold of Ma Ba Tha.

Matthew Smith, Executive Director of Fortify Rights, has called the charges "politically motivated", and said that they should be dropped immediately.

“This is yet another case of Myanmar’s law enforcement catering to the religious-nationalist movement," he said in a Feb. 7 statement, calling on Myanmar authorities to stop targeting interfaith activists and instead protect them.