Maungdaw, Arakan State: A Rohingya yoyth was sentenced to five and-a-half years in prison by a Maungdaw court on June 13, on the orders of Burma's border security force, on allegation of crossing the Burma-Bangladesh border, according to a family member.

The man has been identified as Sayed Amin (20), son of Mohamed Ali. He hails from Kyauk Pundhu village of Maungdaw Township.

He was arrested by local Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman Fazul Islam for crossing the Burma-Bangladesh border last week and handed over to the Nasaka commander Kyaw Kyaw Tun of camp No.18 of Inn Din village in Maungdaw Township.

The man was detained for four days in the Nasaka camp and was sent to the Maungdaw police station and then to court. He appeared before the Maungdaw Court on June 13, and was sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment. Later, he was sent to Buthidaung jail, said a local village elder.

"It is a very long jail-term. As punishment for crossing the border a maximum of six months in jail is enough," a friend of the Rohingya youth said.