Date: June 14, 2005.

On June 13, 2005, leaders from the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS), detained since December 2004, received life sentences.

Those who were sentenced are:
1) Ko Aung Myo San (National League for Democracy, Kamaryut Township-Youth)
2) U Ba Myint (Chairman- National League for Democracy, Bahan Township)
3) U Ba Tint (National League for Democracy, Bahan Township)
4) Ko Khin Kyaw (National League for Democracy, Kamaryut Township-Youth)
5) Ko Thet Naing Aung (a) Ko Thet Oo (Democratic Party for a New Society)

They were prosecuted by the SPDC under Act No. 5/96 Chapter 2, Section 3 after the Military Intelligence (MI) found pamphlets from an opposition group in the houses of Ko Aung Myo San and U Ba Myint.

Ko Tate Naing, Secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) ("AAPP"), speaking about the arbitrary arrests and imprisonments, stated, "The military regime is oppressing and harassing democracy activists, and significantly setting back any political progress, when the simple distribution of a pamphlet receives a life sentence."

This is the second imprisonment for U Ba Myint, Ko Aung Myo San and Ko Khin Kyaw and the third for Ko Thet Naing Aung since the military regime seized power in 1988.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)

For more information:

Ko Tate Naing: + 66 1 287 8751
Ko Bo Kyi: + 1 301 602 0077

Appendices:
1) Brief Biographies
2) State Law and Order Restoration Council Act No. 5/96

Appendix-1

Ko Thet Naing Aung

1988 Organized for the establishment of the Democratic Party for a New Society (Tharkayta Township).
1989 Became General Secretary of the Democratic Patriotic Youth Front.
1990 Arrested for the first time under the Article 17(1) for his contact with opposition groups on the border and sentenced to 3 years with hard labor.
1996 Arrested again in December for a second time under the Article 17(1) for his participation in the 1996 Student Demonstration Movement and sentenced to 3 years with hard labor. Held in Insein and Mandalay Prisons.
1998 Released from Mandalay Prison.
2004 On December 22, he was arrested again for a third time.

Ko Aung Myo San

1988 Member of the National League for Democracy (Youth) in Kamaryut Township.
1991 Supported the demonstration accompanying Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Subsequently arrested and sentenced under Section 5(j) to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour. Held in Insein Annex Jail and Tharawaddy Prison.
1999 Released from Tharawaddy Prison.
2004 On December 22, he was arrested again for a second time.

U Ba Myint

Chairman of National League for Democracy (Alon Township).
1990 Arrested for the first time under the Section 5(j) and sentenced to four years imprisonment with hard labor. Held in Insein Annex Jail.
1994 Released from Insein Annex Jail.
2004 On December 22, he was arrested again for a second time.

Ko Khin Kyaw

1988 Member of the National League for Democracy (Youth) in Kamaryut Township.
2000 Arrested for the first time on May 18, under Section 5(j) and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labor. Held in Insein and Myingyan Prisons.
2002 Released from Myingyan Prison.
2004 On December 24, he was arrested again for a second time.

Appendix-2

On June 7, 1996, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) issued Act No. 5/96, which stated that those who attempt the destruction of the National Convention (NC), which they claimed would lead to a transfer of power, would be convicted and tried as follows:

Chapter (2)
Prohibitions

Section 3: Individuals or organizations should not break, directly or indirectly, this prohibition by:
(a) Destroying the stability, peace or order of the country through agitating, demonstrating, delivering speeches, writing or distributing materials
(b) Harming national reconciliation through agitating, demonstrating, delivering speeches, writing or distributing materials
(c) A constitution should emerge from the National Convention without the harmful conjecture of the public intent on preventing this emergence through agitating, demonstrating, delivering speeches, writing or distributing materials
(d)Intervening illegally in the making or distributing of the constitution during the National Convention
(e) Aiding those who seek or act to break the above prohibitions

Chapter (3)
Punishments

Section 4: Those who violate Section 3 shall receive a sentence of at least 5 years and a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, in addition to a fine.