Four high school students accused of being members of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) , were sentenced to prison by the Pathein Prison Court Sources close to the legal community report that the Military Council has sentenced four high school students, who are under the age of 18, to almost five years in prison each. The students were accused of being members of the PDF.

An activist for children’s rights has stated that sentencing individuals below the age of 18 to nearly five years in prison without any specific criminal charge, constitutes a breach of the International Children’s Rights Act.

“The children use Facebook, liking some of the posts and writing comments. However, if the Military Council dislikes something they do, they are arrested, and then extorted for money before being imprisoned,” said a person close to the family.

According to a source close to the family, the judge of Pathein district, who was known as Zaw Mae Lone who used to chew betel nut in the courtroom, extorted 5 million kyats from the parents of four high school students, who were each given prison sentences.

From November 11 to 17, 2022, the Military Council arrested 14 high school students from Pathein, Ngaputaw, and Kangyidaunt townships, who the prosecution claimed were participating in an online Federal Education School, run by the National Unity Government (NUG).

6 out of the 14 school students who were arrested, namely Maung Thet Ko Min, Maung Kyaw Myat Hein, Ma Linn Latt Aung, Ma Aye Hnin Thu, Ma Thawdar Min, and Ma Mhue Thwet San, were charged with Section 50(j) and Section 52(a), while the remaining students were released.

A lawyers reported that Maung Kyaw Myat Hein, a resident of Ngaputaw Township over 17 years of age, and Maung Thet Ko Min from Chaung Thar Beach Township were arrested by the Military Council on suspicion of having connections with four girls through social media.

They have not yet been formally charged and are currently being investigated under Section 50(j) and 52(a) of the terrorism law.

According to a Supreme Court advocate, “The girls haven’t even reached the age of 18, yet they have been ordered to remain in a girls’ training school until they turn 20. Essentially, they are being sentenced to four to five years of imprisonment.”

On April 7, the Pathein Prison Court sentenced Wa Lone Lay (aka) Ma Linn Latt Aung, Ma Aye Hnin Thu, Ma Thawdar Min, and Ma Mhue Thwet San from Pathein Township, all aged between 15 and 16, to imprisonment under Sections 50(j) and 52(a) by the judge of Pathein District.