The Hong Kong-based advocacy group Asian Human Rights Commission today challenged Burma’s Supreme Court to prove the integrity of the Burmese judicial system when it hears an appeal tomorrow by human rights activist Su Su Nway.

Su Su Nway, a 34year-old National League for Democracy youth leader, is serving an 18-month jail sentence imposed last October after conviction on charges of criminal intimidation. Her arraignment followed her successful legal action against four village officials, who received eight-month jail terms for practicing forced labor.

The charges against Su Su Nway accused her of threatening local officials and swearing at then. She vigorously denied the accusations.

Successive appeals against her conviction and prison sentence have been rejected by lower courts. In a statement released in Hong Kong today, the AHRC said the question now before the Supreme Court was whether or not there “exists any final resort for complainants, particularly in cases that relate to blatant abuse of state authority…The case that is coming before it tomorrow, February 1, gives the court an historic opportunity to answer that question.”

Basil Fernando, the group’s executive director, said: “Su Su Nway’s case stands as a serious challenge to the Burmese judicial system, which is in all respects under the control of the military authorities.

“Its success or failure will speak to the integrity of the entire Burmese judicial system and prospects for the making of complaints about fundamental rights violations in that country.”

The AHRC pointed out that since 1960 positions within Burma’s judicial structure were given to political appointees, and charged that the practice of criminal law had been steadily eroded. “Judges are known to be bribed routinely. Punishments are applied arbitrarily and selectively, with little regard to judicial principles” the group said.

Su Su Nway is now in Rangoon’s Insein prison and is reportedly suffering from a chronic heart condition. Nyan Win, an NLD lawyer, told The Irrawaddy that a legal team had prepared its best lawyers for tomorrow’s appeal.

The AHRC also launched yesterday a bilingual webpage www.ahrchk.net/susunwe —containing links to appeals, statements, press releases, and other information relating to jailed Burmese human rights activists.