Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Famous comedian and film director Zargana's prison term was commuted by 24 years by the Rangoon Division court on February 13.

Now Zargana, who is serving time in Myitkyina prison, Kachin State will have to serve the remaining 35 years.

"His lawyers came home on their way back from the court and said that some of his prison term has been commuted on February 13," his mother Kyi Oo told Mizzima.

The commuting of his prison term came a day before the UN Human Rights envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana's visit to Burma which starting on Saturday.

"I was not shocked when my son was meted out such a harsh prison sentence, thinking that they did it by exercising undue power in their hands. Now I am not happy when I hear of such commutation of his prison sentence", Kyi Oo said.

"They (authority) might have commuted the prison sentence after realizing it is too harsh," his defence lawyer Zaw Lin said.

He was handed out a total of 45 years charged with 3 cases of disaffection to the State and Government under the Video Law. Now the court commuted 8 years in each case totaling 24 years.

His family members said that they would appeal against the remaining 35 years sentence at the Supreme Court in the coming weeks.

The court inside the Insein prison sentenced him to a total of 45 years on 21 November 2008 in three cases under the Electronic Law. And then the Rangoon Western District Court charged him in five cases for committing crimes against public tranquility and Video Law and sentenced him to total of 13 years. So the grand total of his prison sentence became 59 years.