Author Than Myint Aung and actor and model Paing Takhon were each sentenced to three years in prison for incitement on Monday in Yangon’s Insein Prison.
Writer Than Myint Aung, 67, was a member of the Yangon City Development Committee during the administration of the now-ousted National League for Democracy and also served as chairperson of a nursing home and vice chair of the Free Funeral Services Society of Yangon. She was arrested on the early morning of the February 1 coup and charged with violating Section 505a of the Penal Code shortly after being detained.
A court source told Myanmar Now that Than Myint Aung was sentenced without a thorough examination of testimony provided by her legal team in her defence. She said that her conviction was due to speeches she gave at three literary events in 2019, including one in Yangon’s Tamwe Township. The speeches are still widely available online and, according to the junta, were inciting public unrest.
“Than Myint Aung was sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour because her speech was going viral on Youtube,” said the court source, who added that she has health conditions that will require regular medical treatment in prison.
Paing Takhon, a 25-year-old model and actor with celebrity status in Myanmar and neighbouring nations, was also known for his active participation in the anti-dictatorship protests. He was handed the same sentence as Than Myint Aung.
The judge halted all testimony and delivered the verdict on the same day as a prosecution witness was scheduled to speak on behalf of the plaintiff, according to a member of the actor’s legal defence team.
“The judge and the investigating police officer showed Paing Takhon photos that the police had submitted in the case file and asked him if he took part in those protests. When he said that he did, they said that it was a confession and that they would be halting the case there and handed him the sentence,” the lawyer said.
There had been 10 more court hearings scheduled in the case.
“The law does not allow the judge to force the defendant to confess or to ask leading questions. The sentence he was given today was not in accordance with the law,” the lawyer told Myanmar Now.
The military issued a warrant for Paing Takhon and he was arrested at his house in Yangon’s North Dagon Township in early April.
Several other celebrities including actors Lu Min, Pyay Ti Oo, Eaindra Kyaw Zin and Ye Tite, director Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, and vocalist Po Po, are also being detained in Insein Prison for participating in anti-coup activities.
