Former Army Captain Who Turned On the Military Jailed For Calling Generals Thieves

Former Army Captain Who Turned On the Military Jailed For Calling Generals Thieves

Nay Myo Zin provoked military’s anger by saying lower ranking soldiers are suffering while generals steal from public

A judge in Yangon sentenced former army captain and rights activist Nay Myo Zin to one year in prison on Friday for criticising senior members of the military.

The 44-year-old, who has been jailed at least seven times for his activism, was charged in April with attempting to sow “discord” among military personnel during a speech in Taikkyi township, about 50 miles north of Yangon.

Nay Myo Zin was speaking at an event to support the NLD’s efforts to amend the constitution. He told the crowd that the top brass of the military is prospering while lower-ranking officers suffer.

“The lowest-ranking soldiers are always burning like charcoal in a nanbya oven,” he said, using the term for a traditional flatbread.

 

 

“There is not a single general who does not steal even a penny of public money, or who does not steal even an inch of state-owned land,” he added.

Lt Col Toe Lwin, who is based at a military training institute in Taikkyi, filed a complaint at the local court after the speech.

 

 

He accused Nay Myo Zin of breaching Section 505a of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine.

The activist was held in custody for five months during his trial and will have time served taken off of his sentence, meaning he’ll be released with seven months.

The judge said in his verdict that Nay Myo Zin could not present sound evidence of top generals becoming rich dishonestly. But he refrained from giving a harsher sentence because parts of the speech were made with “goodwill,'' he added.

Nay Myo Zin also misinformed the crowd, the judge said, by saying that lower-ranking soldiers are forced to pay 30,000 kyat every month to Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, a military-owned conglomerate.

The activist later rowed back the claim in court by saying the monthly contributions were now voluntary.

Nay Myo Zin is still facing parallel trials at courts in Sagaing and Ayeyarwady regions for similar alleged offences against the military.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Nay Myo Zin graduated from the Defence Services Academy and was “forced to retire” in 2007 because of his political views.

As a civilian, he became involved in the NLD’s blood donation program but in 2011 was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail for writing online articles critical of the military.

He was freed in a presidential amnesty a year later, but has been jailed several times for his activism since.

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BBC Burmese journalist Aung Thura was in front of the Dekkhina District court to report on a hearing for National League for Democracy patron Win Htein when he was arrested. Former Mizzima correspondent Than Htike Aung was with him at the time of the arrest.

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BBC News issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying that they are "doing everything [they] can" to find Aung Thura, who they described as being taken away by unidentified men.

“We call on the authorities to help locate him and confirm that he is safe,” the statement said.

As of March 16, a total of 38 journalists had been arrested or targeted for arrest since the February 1 coup. The latest arrests of the BBC and former Mizzima journalists push this number up to 40.  

Only 22 of these reporters have been released. Ten journalists have been charged with violating Section 505(a) of the penal code, which has been used against people who are seen as causing fear, spreading fake news, or agitating government employees. Under recent amendments to the law, the charges come with a three-year prison sentence if convicted.

Online news website The Irrawaddy has also been charged by the junta as violating the same statute for showing “disregard” for the armed forces in their reporting of the ongoing anti-regime protests.

Five publications, including Myanmar Now and Mizzima had their offices raided and their publishing licenses revoked earlier this month by the regime.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include the BBC's statement, which was not available at the original time of publishing.

 

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The two who were killed in the morning were identified as Salai Kyong Lian Kye O, who was 25, and Kyin Khant Man, who was 27 and had three children. The identities of the other two have not yet been confirmed.

Five people were also injured and then taken away. Locals said they did not know where they had been taken.   

 

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