Mizzima News - NLD member jailed for two years for disturbing officials

Mizzima News - NLD member jailed for two years for disturbing officials
by Ko Wild
Wednesday, 21 January 2009 20:05

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A member of the National League for Democracy, Burma's main opposition party, was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison on charges of disturbing officials carrying out their duty at the behest of the authorities of the Township Peace and Development Council of Rangoon's suburban township of South Dagon on Monday.

Thein Soe, an NLD member, was charged under article (189) of the criminal code, an offence for disturbing officials carrying out their duty, by the police in-charge of North Dagon police station. He was sentenced by justice Daw Htay Htay to two years in jail

Thein Soe's wife Khin Moe Moe told Mizzima that her husband had been actively monitoring the activities of township and police officials and would frequently intervene if he saw that the officials were corrupt and were out to suppress the people.

"He protested against the township authorities recruiting child soldiers and he knew all about the corrupt practices of the police. So, may be that is why they [the official] wanted to get rid of him," she said.

Thein Soe was informed that he had been charged for disturbing officials while carrying out their duty since October last year.

Thein Soe, an active member of the NLD, had served as one of the security and information officers into recording events during the detained Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's political tour in upper Burma in 2003.