Myanmar comedian totals 59 years jail for criticism of government's cyclone response

[Wilkin]

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/as....dissident.ap/

Originally Posted by CNN

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- A court inside Myanmar's notorious Insein prison sentenced a comedian who has criticized the government's cyclone response to 14 more years Thursday, bringing his total prison term to 59 years, his lawyer said.

Comedian and activist Zarganar was given a 45-year prison sentence last week after he was convicted on charges related to interviews he gave to foreign media outlets.

In the interviews, he said the government was too slow in responding to a May cyclone that killed more than 84,000 people.

Myanmar's military, which has held power since 1962, tolerates no dissent. It frequently arrests artists and entertainers regarded as opposing the regime.

It has further ramped up its crackdown on dissent since Buddhist monks led pro-democracy protests in September 2007.

The government holds more than 2,100 political prisoners, up sharply from nearly 1,200 in June 2007, before the demonstrations, according to international human rights groups.

The military government's wave of harsh sentences has been condemned worldwide by Western governments and human rights groups. They contend that the sentences make a mockery of the ruling junta's professed plan to restore democracy with a 2010 election.

Zarganar's lawyer, Khin Htay Kywe, said he was convicted Thursday for causing public alarm, a reference to his interviews with foreign media, and for communicating with exiled dissidents, among other charges.

Zarganar, whose birth name is Maung Thura, was among at least 100 people to receive sentences of two to 65 years since early November. Many of the trials were held in closed sessions, sometimes without defense lawyers or family present.

He has been imprisoned several times before, including a three-week stint for providing aid to those who demonstrated last year.

Sometimes the US doesn't look so bad on the international scale.

[NFD]

Jeez, it's almost doubled since last year, the political prisoner count.

[Crashfan3]

And some say this is the US Government in 25 years.
If the US Government does end up becoming like that, I'm GTFOing to Europe.

[NFD]

Then it would be the Europe soon. Apparently Myanmar is on it's way to mirroring the novel 1984. This is a scary thought indeed.

[Kairon]

Jesus... 59 years of prison (which may as well be a life sentence) for criticizing the government? Being the fat-bodied, free-speaking, constitutionally-spoiled American that I am, it's hard to even conceive of such a thing. The fact that such laws are in place in ANY part of the world in this day and age is freaking scary.

Originally Posted by Crashfan3

And some say this is the US Government in 25 years.

If that's the case, then on my 44th birthday I'll celebrate by running to Canada.

[x After Dawn x]

Originally Posted by Crashfan3

And some say this is the US Government in 25 years.
If the US Government does end up becoming like that, I'm GTFOing to Europe.

Uh, you've got it backwards dude. Myanmar isn't a developed country like the US is. Maybe in 50-100 years, Myanmar will develop and become a country like the US, but the US isn't going to "undevelop" and become like Myanmar.

[PlaceboFX]

As much as I think the US government sucks right now, I'm grateful that I can at least say that I think that it does.

[Oni-Paranoia]

Too much money to put people in jail for such pity crimes. Placing people in debt is much more exciting for the government. Go USA....

[nois-or-e]

Originally Posted by Wilkin

Sometimes the US doesn't look so bad on the international scale.

lol, yes it does. You can't compare the usa to myanmar in almost any way/shape/form aside from the fact that from the outside it seems like they have too many guns and not enough sense...

[coraleaterlinda]

holy crap, thats extreme. for all the complaints i have against america, at least i can complain and not get thrown in jail for it. always appreciate the rights you have, a lot of people dont have them.