Burmese Blogger's Jail Term Reduced

Burmese Blogger's Jail Term Reduced

Press Release: Terry Evans

21 February 2009

Imprisoned Burmese blogger Nay Phone Latt has had his jail sentence reduced from 20 years and six months to 12 years on appeal.

He was initially sentenced on three separate charges by a special court in Rangoon’s notorious Insein Prison. An appeal court cut one 15 year sentence to seven years and a second sentence of three and a half years to three years. A third sentence of two years was left untouched.

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Nay Phone Latt is the latest political prisoners to have his sentence reduced. The popular comedian Zarganar had his 59 year jail sentence reduced to 24 years on appeal.

The reduction of some of the severest prison sentences is almost certainly connected with the six-day visit to Burma by UN Human Rights Rapporteur Tomas Ojea, which ended last Thursday.

Since last October more than 200 dissidents in Burma have received prison terms of up to 100 years.

ENDS

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