Chiang Mai - A highly revered Buddhist monk, arrested by the Burmese junta and detained for playing a key role during last year's September protests was charged on 10 counts on Wednesday at the Insein prison's west district court.
Gambira, a prominent monk who played a leading role in September 2007 protests, was produced in court on Wednesday for the second time since he was arrested in November 2007 and charged on ten counts, a lawyer who was present at the court said.
Advocate Khin Maung Shein said, "Today the monk was produced in court and the charges included the Electronic Act 33 (A)/38. But there was no trial and the court fixed another date."
He added that Gambira has been charged with the immigration act, illegal border crossing, contacting or associating with outlawed organizations, illegally forming organization, inciting public riot, religious defamation, resisting orders of authorities to disperse, illegal gathering, the publishing act, and the electronic acts.
The revered monk was earlier produced at the court on August 18 along with 11 other detainees.
Gambira's sister Khin Thu Htay said on Wednesday they were able to talk to the monk and were allowed to sit in court. "We were able to sit in the court and could meet him. But the sight of him being handcuffed was not nice, as he is a monk. He was also made to wear an ordinary longyi," she said.
He said 'even if I did not put on my robe, I am still a monk, it is not necessary to handcuff me, you are violating human rights', the monk's sister quoted him as saying.
Along with Gambira, his elder brother Aung Kyaw Kyaw, abbot of Maggin monastery, Eikariya, Than Hlaing, Kyaw Kyaw, Kelatha, writer Min Set, Shwe Maung, Wunna Maung and Zaw Win will be produced at the court on August 27 and 28.
All of them were charged in different courts in Ahlone, Kamayout, Kyauktada, Dagon, Kyimyindine, and west district courts.
Khin Maung Shein said, it was not fair to put monks on trial in civilian courts, and it is against the law. The monks should be tried first at a tribunal formed by the monks and should be de-robed if they are found guilty and handed over to the civilian court.
"The law states that monks should be first tried in the religious tribunal formed by the monks," Khin Maung Shein said.
Gambira, who played an active role in the September protests, was arrested on November 4, 2007 in Sin Kaing town in Mandalay division.
Violating the Electronic Act fetches up to 15 years in prison, disobeying orders to disperse and illegal gathering fetches two years in jail with monetary fine, while inciting public riot also means two years in prison with monetary fine.
