Sithu Zeya

Sentence:

18 years

Charges:

Unlawful Association Act, Immigration Act, Electronics Act

Date of Birth:

16 January 1990

Prison:

Henzada

Age: 22
Ethnicity: Burmese
Religion: Buddhism
Studies: University degre
Proffession: Video Journalist for DVB
Arrested: 14 April 2010
Sentenced: 21 December 2010

In April 2010, a series of grenade blasts rocked Rangoon during the traditional New Year water festival. Sithu Zeya photographed images of the aftermath from a location near the banks of Kandawgyi Lake in Rangoon. The 21-year-old was arrested shortly after, and interrogated for five days. During this period he was tortured and denied food for two days, and in December 2010 sentenced to eight years imprisonment under the Immigration Act and Unlawful Association Act.

The verdict on Sithu Zeya’s case was based on informal confessions resulting from the torture he suffered during interrogation. His charges stem from the Burmese government’s press laws, which target media workers judged to have passed on material to exiled news outlets.

Sithu Zeya had been forced to reveal under torture that his father, U Zeya, also served as an undercover DVB reporter. U Zeya is now serving a 13-year sentence.

Sithu Zeya was sentenced to an additional ten years in prison on 7 November 2011, a few days after an amnesty that saw 230 political prisoners released. He is now serving an 18-year sentence in Henzada prison.

Submitted by mathias on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 01:41