Hip-Hop Performer among Latest Victims of Court Crackdown

One of the most popular performers on Burma’s music scene, hip-hop star Zayar Thaw, was sentenced to six years imprisonment by a Rangoon court on Thursday for his involvement in anti-regime protests.

Zayar Thaw was among at least 20 detainees sentenced on Thursday in Burma’s continuing trials of opposition activists and members of the National League for Democracy. Six are members of the Generation Wave, a group of young activists formed during the September 2007 uprising.

Burmese hip-hop star Zayar Thaw

Zayar Thaw, 27, joined three other musicians in founding Burma’s first hip-hop band, ACID, in late 2000. The band rapidly won a big following among young Burmese music-lovers. Zayar Thaw was arrested in March for his involvement in political activities.

Aung Gyi, a lawyer representing Zayar Thaw and five members of Generation Wave, told The Irrawaddy that a court in Rangoon’s Lamandaw Township convicted Zayar Thaw of contravening the criminal code’s section 24/1 relating to dealings in foreign currency and section 6/88, covering membership of an illegal organization.

Aung Gyi said the five members of Generation Wave were each sentenced to five years imprisonment on the section 6/88 charge. He identified them as Arkar Bo, Aung Zay Phyo, Thiha Win Tint, Wai Lwin Myo and Yan Naing Thu.

A special court in Rangoon’s Insein Prison sentenced 14 members of the opposition NLD to two and half year’s imprisonment on Thursday. One of the defendants, Tin Ohn, is in the prison hospital and was sentenced in his absence.

As international condemnation of the Burmese trials mounted, the Thailand-based Burmese Lawyers Council and the Global Justice Center in New York released a statement on Wednesday declaring that the judges are criminally liable for prosecution as co-conspirators in crimes against humanity. The eight judges, including Burma’s Chief Justice, Aung Toe, should be referred to the International Criminal Court, the two organizations said.

Their statement complained that the judges had not allowed the defendants to question prosecution witnesses, many of the accused did not have legal representation and those that did were not permitted to meet their lawyers in private.

The Burmese authorities transferred 15 of the sentenced prisoners, including the well-known activist Min Zaya and 1l other leading members of 88 Generation Students, to remote prisons across the country on Thursday.

Min Zaya was transferred to Lashio Prison in Shan State, Zaw Zaw Min to Toungoo Prison in Pegu Division, Jimmy to Taunggyi Prison in Shan State, Arnt Bwe Kyaw to Katha Prison in Sagaing Division, Than Tin to Sittwe Prison in Arakan State, Panneik Tun to Bahmao Prison in Kachin State, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe to Mergui Prison in Tenasserim Division and That Zaw to Moulmein Prison in Mon State.

Of the convicted women members of the 88 Generation Students group, Mar Mar Oo was transferred to Myingyan Prison in Mandalay Division, Thet Thet Aung to Thayawaddy Prison in Pegu Division, Mie Mie to Bassein Prison in Irrawaddy Division and Sandar Min to Myaung Mya Prison in Irrawaddy Division.

Two members of the Bogalay Township NPD were also transferred to outlying prisons. Thiha Aung was transferred to Lowikaw Prison in Karenni State and Aung Myo Paing to Kawthaung Prison in Tenasserim Division respectively.

One further activist, Min Han, was transferred to Lashio Prison in Shan State.