Several Jailed Letpadan Activists Placed in Solitary Following Court Appearance

[Lite Beer]

Several Jailed Letpadan Activists Placed in Solitary Following Court Appearance
By YEN SNAING / THE IRRAWADDY| Wednesday, July 1, 2015

RANGOON — Several student activists, imprisoned since the brutal police crackdown on education reform protesters at Letpadan in March, have been placed in solitary confinement for bringing cigarettes and betel nut back to prison after a court appearance on Tuesday.

Six students were placed in solitary confinement on Tuesday night while a seventh was put in solitary on Wednesday, according to Nay Win, the father of detained student activist Phyo Phyo Aung.

“We didn’t have a plan to come today as the students have decided to boycott family visits. But after news of their [solitary] confinement… they were concerned and they asked us to come,” he said.

Guards also conducted a training drill at the prison on Tuesday night, according to Nay Win, held to simulate their response in the event of a disturbance or breakout.

All detained students in Tharrawaddy Prison had vowed to boycott prison visits in solidarity with 35 of their fellow detainees who had their family visits banned after they were also caught with betel nut and cigarettes on June 16.

“My son told me not to come and meet him at the prison as some other students were banned from family visits,” Khin Khin Yu, the mother of Min Thway Thit, told The Irrawaddy.

Read More: http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/several-jailed-letpadan-activists-placed-in-solitary-following-court-appearance.html