Sources close to Sayadaw Badanda Pinnya Zawta, a monk and former political prisoner living in the United States, said he is scheduled to face trial in Myanmar next week, a month after junta authorities detained and reportedly beat him.
The military charged Pinnya Zawta, 64, under two sections of Myanmar’s Counterterrorism Law, section 13(1) of the Myanmar Immigration (Emergency Provisions) Act, and Section 505a of the Penal Code on sedition.
One of the relevant sections of the Counterterrorism Law relates to providing financial support to terrorists, and a conviction on charges under this section carries a minimum sentence of ten year and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The US embassy in Yangon has been following the case and assisting Sayadaw, who is now a United States (US) citizen.
Pinnya Zawta, who now resides in Buffalo, New York in the US, applied lawfully. . .
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