Myanmar Now media photojournalist Ko Sai Zaw Thaike, who was arrested in Sittwe last May 23rd, while documenting the situation of the Cyclone Mokha disaster in Rakhine State, was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor by the military council today on September 6th.
In the military council propaganda telegram channels, it is said that Ko Sai Zaw Thaike was charged with 4 articles. Among the articles charged are Article 27 of the Natural Disaster Management Act (inducing panic); Section 505-A of the Penal Code on Inciting Sedition. Section 66 (d) of the Communications Act and Section 124 of the Defamation Law are said to be included.
After his arrest, Ko Sai Zaw Thaike was interrogated for more than a week in the Rakhine state military and Yangon interrogation centers, according to the parent news agency Myanmar Now. After that, Ko Sai Zaw Thaike was sent to Insein Prison in mid-June after receiving remand at the South Dagon Township Court, where martial law was declared.
Ko Sai Zaw Thaike was not examined by the military council in any courtroom, he has no right to defend his case. It is reported that he was not allowed to have a lawyer and was sentenced to 20 years by court martial on September 6, in his first trial in Insein prison.
