The Mandalay District Court sentenced four men on October 14 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for involvement in a murder during the Mandalay riots in early July.
Nyan Htay, Than Gyaung, Be Taw (also known as Kyaw Min Tun) and Kyaw Zin Htet (also known as Fatty) were sentenced under charges of premeditated murder and aiding and abetting murder.
The men were arrested on 17th July in connection with the murder of U Soe Min Htwe who was on his way to a mosque when he was killed by unknown assailants on the early morning of 3rd July. The case against the men was lodged on 8th August.
Defence lawyer U Myint Aung said they would appeal against the sentences and said he was unable to say anything more at this time.
Advocate U Khin Maung Than claimed the documents provided by the police offered no evidence to implicate the men.
Daw Zin Mar Aye, mother of Kyaw Zin Htet, told Mizzima that she had gone to court with the hope that her son would be released. “The truth has gone with the wind. My son is no murderer. He made a confession under rough police interrogation.”
Daw Zin Mar Aye staged a solo protest on the Mandalay streets October 10 with a sign calling for justice for her son.
Fifteen suspects connected with the killing of Ko Tun Tun are currently being interrogated, according to the police.
Three days of rioting and violence in early July resulted in the death of the two men, injury to more than 20 other people and heavy damage to property.
