Bangkok - A Mandalay court has sentenced six opposition leaders to prison terms of up to 13 years on charges of threatening national "tranquility" and stirring up hatred ,anti-government sources said Saturday. The six senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) were arrested in September and October last year in a nationwide crackdown on dissent following the Buddhist-monk-led protests in Yangon.
An army crackdown on the demonstrations, dubbed the "saffron revolution," left more than 30 dead and scores missing.
According to the Thailand-based Assistant Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), which monitors the treatment of political prisoners in Myanmar, the Mandalay Division Court has sentenced the six to jail terms ranging from two to 13 years.
The accused and their jail terms include Win Mya Mya, a female opposition member, sentenced to 12 years in jail, and her male colleagues Kan Tun, 12 years, Than Lwin, eight years, Min Thu, 13 years, Tin Ko Ko, two years, and Win Shwe, 11 years.
They were charged under section 505 (B) and Section 153 (A) of the criminal code which prohibits the "publishing or circulation of any statement, rumour or report" with intent to disturb public tranquility and any actions that "attempt to promote feelings of enmity or hatred between different classes," respectively, punishable by imprisonment.
The announcement of the lengthy prison terms coincides with the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Beijing, which has drawn leaders from the European Union and Asia to discuss a broad range of issues including Myanmar's ongoing political stalemate.
The meeting is expected to urge Myanmar's military rulers to be more tolerant towards opposition political parties and release political prisoners, according to a draft statement seen on Friday.
The leaders attending a biannual Asia-Europe Meeting would urge Myanmar to "engage all stakeholders in an inclusive political process in order to achieve national reconciliation and economic and social development".
"In this regard, they called for the lifting of restrictions placed on political parties and early further release of those under detention," said a draft ASEM "chair's statement", which is scheduled to be issued by host nation China on Saturday.
