Photo: Thura/Mizzima
The Peacock Generation Thangyat team prosecuted by the Tatmadaw (military) appeared before the Mayangon Township Court yesterday and the magistrate sentenced them to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour.
The Tatmadaw registered a case against them under section 505(a) of Penal Code (Public Mischief) and then the accused Zeyar Lwin, Pai Ye Thu, Pai Phyo Min, Zaw Lin Htut and Kay Khaing Tun were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour.
Lt. Col. Than Tun Myint from Yangon Region Military Command registered the case for their alleged role in insulting and hurting dignity of Tatmadaw in their Thangyat performed on April 10 this year.
Responding to the conviction and one-year prison sentence handed down to the five members of the Peacock Generation, Joanne Mariner, Amnesty International’s research director for South East Asia, said:
“This is an appalling verdict. Punishing people for performing a piece of satire speaks volumes about the dire state of freedom of expression in Myanmar.
“These activists are prisoners of conscience. They have already spent six months behind bars, just because the Myanmar authorities are too thin-skinned to tolerate the mildest criticism. Thangyat is a time-honoured Myanmar tradition, and it is absurd to think it poses any real danger to the Myanmar military.
“The authorities must immediately quash these convictions, drop all further charges against the Peacock Generation, and release its members immediately. With a general election just around the corner, the NLD government led by Aung San Suu Kyi must use the legislative power it still possesses to urgently repeal or amend all laws that unduly restrict freedom of expression.”
