Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) legal advocates, on 31 August, lodged appeals to the High Court in Rangoon on behalf of two party members from Shwe Kyin Township, Pegu Division in central Burma.

Shwe Kyin Township NLD chairman Bo Gyi and member Pe Tin were arrested on 12 May and sentenced to seven years in prison on 27 May by the township court. The latest appeals came after judges at district and divisional levels rejected them downright.

Similarly, other lawyers are preparing to lodge an appeal to a Rangoon District court on behalf of private tuition teacher Aung Pe from Rangoon Twante, who was imprisoned for saluting the picture of Burma’s nation hero Gen Aung San and singing song in honour of him.

The authorities have at long last allowed the lawyers to go ahead with appeals on behalf of Ahlon Township NLD chairman Ba Myint and four other youth members, by issuing an official legal document for their clients. Lawyers are also preparing to lodge official complaints to the High Court regarding another NLD youth Aung Hlaing Win who was killed at a detention centre during an interrogation session in early May.

The authorities concerned ‘liquidated’ his remains by means of cremation and notified his death thereafter to his family members and they also attempted to shut them up with meagre bribes