New Delhi — Sports columnist Zaw Thet Htwe was arrested while he was into a relief campaign for Cyclone Nargis victims but his family is yet to meet him after over a month since his arrest.

His wife Khaing Cho Zaw Win Tin tried to meet him in a prison interview yesterday after hearing of her husband being produced before the court last Wednesday. But she could not meet her husband.

"I asked prison authorities yesterday but they could not tell me anything. We recently heard that he was in prison but it is not yet clear whether he has been produced before the court or not", she said.

Though it has been 47 days from his arrest the authorities have not yet formally informed his family about his arrest and have not yet let his family meet him. The family is worried about him.

"I met him only once when he was arrested, and after that, we were not allowed to meet him again. And also we still don't know his exact whereabouts. The whole family is worrying about him," Khaing Cho said.

The advocate Aung Thein said that Zaw Thet Htwe and comedian Zarganar (Tweezers) were produced before the court and charged under section 505(b) of the Criminal Code, crime against public tranquility, last Wednesday and fixed August 7 for the next hearing.

Both were arrested in June this year for their involvement in private relief operations for cyclone victims.
"The prison authorities told their families that their names were not yet entered in the register. They asked about  Zarganar too but the prison authorities cannot say anything about him either. But fellow inmates said that they are in Insein prison," a person close to both families said.

Zaw Thet Htwe who provided relief materials of food and clothes to the cyclone victims in Irrawaddy Division was arrested on June 13 while he was on his way back home after visiting his ailing mother aged 75 living in Minbu, Magwe Division.

The authorities searched his house too and seized a hand phone, computer, CDs and other documents and dossiers.

He was first arrested for writing an article on corruption among the Burmese Sports authorities and was sentenced to death on November 28 2003. But his sentence was later commuted to three years in prison and released after serving his term.