Botataung Township court sentenced three members of Peacock Generation Thangyat team to six-month imprisonment each on February 17 in a case brought by the Tatmadaw (Defence Services).

The court sentenced Pai Phyo Min, Kay Khaing Tun and Suu Yadanar Myint out of seven members charged under section 66(d) of Telecommunications Law and the court acquitted the remaining four.

Army officers with Lt. Col. rank from Tatmadaw prosecuted Peacock Generation Thangyat team under sections 505(a) of Penal Code (public mischief) and 66(d) of Telecommunications Law in cases charged in different township courts in connection with performing Thangyat.

Peacock Generation Thangyat team leader Zeyar Lwin said, “We performed this same Thangyat in different areas. Then they prosecuted us in different cases for the same performance in different township courts. This suggests they prosecuted with grudge and prejudice.”

The magistrate said in pronouncing judgment today that Paing Phyo Min, Kay Khaing Tun and Suu Yadana Myint were found guilty in this case as they shared the video footage on social media so they were given a six-month prison term each.

One of the Thangyat team leaders, Suu Yadanar Myint, said that many people thought this section 66(d) should be repealed as democracy would not last long as long as it was in force and unless there was freedom of expression. 

The Thangyat team was prosecuted in eight cases and four have had judgment pronounced the Peacock Generation Thangyat team will have to face four more cases prosecuted by Tatmadaw in 2019 in four townships in Ayeyarwady Region namely Dadeye, Pyapon, Maubin and Pathein.