On 30th October, five student activists were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour for criticising the military in their satirical performance.
Kay Khaing Tun, Zayar Lwin, Paing Ye Thu, Di Yay and Pho Thar were arrested in April during the Burmese New Year celebration for criticising and making fun of the military during their performance. They are members of Peacock Generation Thangyat group in Burma.
Thangyat is a type of slam poetry traditionally performed during the Burmese New Year holiday, and Thangyat groups usually highlight difficulties and situations of the country in a series of jokes. The Peacock Generation Thangyat group includes current and former members of the Student Union in Burma. Their satirical performance mostly included materials about the country’s constitution and the military.
After being detained for more than six months, they were sentenced to one year in prison with hard labour under the the 505 (a) of Burma’s Penal Code. Four of the five Peacock Generation members are also facing an additional two years’ imprisonment under the Telecommunication Law for defamation. They are currently serving their prison sentences in Insein prison.
The Peacock Generation group performing in Yangon this year.
Repressive laws are continuously being used in Burma to arbitrarily arrest activists and supress freedom of expression. The NLD has the majority in Parliament to repeal the repressive laws but Aung San Suu Kyi has decided to keep those laws intact and keep human rights activists in jail. These activists being thrown into prison for their satirical performance is one of the many reminders that Burma is still far away from becoming a country with genuine democracy.
