Five youths from Taungup Township's National League for Democracy were sentenced by military authorities to two and-a-half years in prison for staging a protest on the 20th anniversary of the 8-8-88 uprising in Burma.

The youths have been identified as Ko Moe Nay Soe, Ko Than Lwin, Ko Chit Maung Maung, Ko Maung Maung Thet, and Ma Ni Ni May Myint.

They were arrested by the police in Taungup during a protest to commemorate the public protests in Burma in 1988.

Taungup police arrested 48 youths, but later released 43 of them after they promised not to become involved in any protests in Taungup in the future. The five youths who have been sentenced, however, were kept in custody for interrogation as suspected leaders of the demonstration.

On Friday, the Thandwe district court sentenced them to two and-a-half years in prison after they were found guilty of two charges.

A NLD youth from Taungup said the court handed down its verdict without hearing all the witnesses. There were five witnesses set to testify, but only two attended the trial.

The family members of the youth did not have a chance to attend the trial as the authorities did not provide them any information on the youths' whereabouts or status.