A dozen Muslim men from central Myanmar have been sentenced to five years in prison for associating with a vaguely-defined and previously unknown armed group, after a trial fraught with allegations of torture.
The men, who range from 19 to 58 years old, were found guilty on Monday by a court of undermining national security by training with the ‘Myanmar Muslim Army’.
Fortify Rights, which monitored the trial, called for the conviction to be overturned through the appeals process, saying the men had confessed after they were tortured.
“This was a miscarriage of justice that should be immediately rectified,” said director Matthew Smith in an email. “The authorities should investigate the allegations of torture and hold perpetrators accountable.
“Restoring justice in this case now rests in part on the appeal process, and the court should take into consideration the lack of evidence presented and the allegations that the authorities tortured these defendants in detention.
“These men were denied a fair trial, convicted of a crime without any evidence brought against them, and they now face several years in prison. This demonstrates the state of play in Myanmar’s judiciary today.”
A report published by the Intercept last year argued that there was no existence suggesting the Myanmar Muslim Army even exists.
Government witnesses during this trial declined to provide evidence, citing the Official Secrets Act, simply saying that the allegations had come “from above”.
Coconuts Yangon could not immediately contact a government spokesperson for comment.
Talking to The Intercept about the Myanmar Muslim Army, the government has said that they carried out a ‘pre-emptive strike’ to protect against ‘any possible attack’.
Photo / Neil Conway / Flickr
