New Delhi: Britain’s former ambassador to Myanmar and her husband, a prominent artist, have been sentenced to one year in prison by the country’s military-controlled courts.
According to reports, Vicky Bowman, who was the ambassador in Myanmar from 2002 to 2006, and her husband, Htein Lin, a veteran democracy activist, were arrested last week in Yangon and accused of violating immigration laws.
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They have each been sentenced to one year in prison, BBC reported.
A memo from Myanmar’s military rulers accused Bowman of violating the country’s immigration act and foreigners’ registration rules for failing to inform the authorities last year when the couple moved temporarily from their registered address in Yangon to Kalaw in Shan State.
Htein Lin has been charged with abetting the “crime”.
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Local news site Myanmar Now reported that the couple appeared at a court inside the notorious Insein prison on Thursday for their hearing, and were sentenced on Friday.
The arrest and now imprisonment of Bowman, the most prominent advocate of responsible investment in Myanmar and who has years of experience living in the country, and Htein Lin, have sent shockwaves across the business and diplomatic communities.
Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for campaigns, Ming Yu Hah, described news of their conviction as extremely concerning.
“Myanmar’s military has a notorious track record of arresting and jailing people on politically motivated or trumped-up charges,” she said.
Bowman, who is fluent in Burmese and began her diplomatic career working as the second secretary at the British embassy in 1990, now leads the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business.
Htein Lin is one of Myanmar’s most famous artists. He was imprisoned for more than six years under military rule in 1998 and is known for continuing his art while in detention, improvising with materials to create more than 1,000 works.