Loikaw District Court turns down Ma Khine's appeal

Loikaw District Court turns down Ma Khine's appeal

Published on Tuesday, 28 January 2014 11:26

Loikaw District Court has dismissed the appeal of Eleven Media Group reporter Ma Khine to overturn an unfair ruling of the Loikaw Township Court.

"This kind of outcome suggests that the judiciary sector is being influenced by the executive sector," said Aye Min from the Lawyers' Network.

Ma Khine submitted the appeal after she was given a three-month prison sentence by Loikaw Township Court on December 17 on charges of trespassing, defamation and use of abusive language.

The Loikaw District Court judge held a court hearing on January 20 in which both sides submitted their closing arguments. The judge delivered the verdict yesterday.

"While the government has been trying to make reforms, there have hardly been any reforms in the judicial sector from the beginning," said Aung Thura, joint secretary (1) of the Myanmar Journalists' Network.

"Although international and local organisations have been objecting to this sentence, that they continue to uphold such verdicts shows that they are not listening to the people's desire. They are not public servants," he said.

"An appeal was submitted to overturn the three-month imprisonment sentenced by Loikaw Township Court," said Ma Khine's lawyer Zaw Myint Tun.

"The verdict was given out today [January 27]. Loikaw District Court Judge Hla Hla Thein has dismissed the appeal," said the lawyer.

"I won't submit another appeal at the state level. I will face the three-month sentence," Ma Khine told Eleven Media during a prison visit yesterday.

"The judiciary has really worsened in Kayah State," said Daung Dein, a 60-year-old local resident. "The local residents want to know why the authorities have not made any serious investigations and cleaned up the corrupted judiciary."

Than Htay, joint secretary (2) of the Myanmar Journalists' Network, said the Network has staged a protest to show its members' objection to the ruling.

"We are worried that this case between Ma Khine and Daw Aye Aye Phyo will set a precedent that can be used in courts when charging or threatening the press freedom of journalists who are being sued while covering news," he said.

"The reason local and international [organisations] and we have tried our best on this case is to reveal the truth on behalf of reporter Ma Khine and win her freedom," said Than Htut Aung, CEO of Eleven Media Group.

"It was a test to see whether Myanmar's democratic reforms are real or not. Now, the answer has come out. The public has now witnessed that remnants of a dictatorship, who want to create a democracy-dictatorship like in Cambodia (where they abuse the law to protect themselves while holding so-called elections), are still in power. So, it's worth it for Ma Khine to sacrifice three months in prison," said Than Htut Aung.

"No matter how many difficulties we face, we must be able to show the dictators that we are standing strong."

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/loikaw-district-court-turns-down-ma-khines-appeal/