Date: October 27, 2004

Two year sentences for the solo protest of U Ohn Than, Former
Political Prisoner, in front of the United Nations Office and also
for Thet Wai (a) Pauk Sa who provided assistance

U Ohn Than and U Thet Wai were sentenced under the article-505
(b) for two-years each at the Eastern High Court in Rangoon by the
magistrate U Soe Tint. According to the penal law, article 505(b)
means with "intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear
or
alarm to the public or to any section of the public whereby any
person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or
against the public tranquility".
U Ohn Than, a former political prisoner, aged 58, demonstrated
alone in front of the United Nations Development Program Office in
Rangoon. He held a poster demanding a call for a free and fair
parliament, and to form a UN commission to investigate the
Depayin Massacre. His protest was carried out on the 21st
September 2004 at 3:30pm. This date was significant as it was
the first day of the General Assembly of the United Nations – at this
time Burmese activists also demonstrated in many other countries
around the world.
Four days before his solo demonstration, U Ohn Than wrote a
hand-written letter to the United Nations General Secretary to call
for a free and fair parliament (it was four pages long, written in
both English and Burmese) and also distributed it around Rangoon.
During his demonstration, three people, appearing to be
undercover agents, arrived and took him away. U Thet Wai (a) Ko
Pauk Sa (Chairman of National League for Democracy from
Sanchaung Township), who helped U Ohn Than was arrested the
following day, on the 22nd September - U Thet Wai (a) Ko Pauk Sa
was suffering from a Gastric Ulcer at the time.
Later, relating to U Ohn Than and U Thet Wai (a) Ko Pauk Sa's
unlawful imprisonment, Bo Kyi, the joint-secretary of the
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)
stated: "These arrests and 2-year imprisonments are unfair and
arbitrary. This also proves that the junta in Burma still pressures
the activists who are struggling for democracy and human rights in
the country."

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)

To know more details, please contact:

Tate Naing: (66) 1 287 8751
Bo Kyi: (66) 1 324 8935