The Tamwe Township Court has refused to grant bail to Eleven Media CEO Than Htut Aung and chief editor Wai Phyo.
Citing their defendants’ health issues, the duo’s lawyers had submitted an appeal for bail on November 25. However, the judge in charge of the case declared that there was insufficient evidence to support their claims and subsequently rejected their bail application.
“The judge refused to grant bail because the medical notes submitted are not from a government hospital. The Mandalay Region court already granted bail to him based on these medical records. The Mandalay court has more authority than this township court. Doctors who issue these recommendations are still working at government hospitals,” Kyee Myint, one of the defendants’ lawyers, told Eleven.
The appeal also noted that Than Htut Aung had suffered a heart attack while he was behind bars on November 23, but did not receive the appropriate medical care. However, they failed to procure a letter from the prison hospital where Than Htut Aung is currently being treated to confirm the attack.
Despite the bad news, the team remains undeterred.
“If necessary, we have a plan to complain at a higher court. Under Section 497, defendants shall be granted bail if they face offences punishable by fewer than seven years in prison,” argued Kyee Myint.
The pair have been charged under the infamous Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law. If found guilty, they could face up to three years in prison.
Prosecution witnesses will be brought in at the next court hearing, which is scheduled for December 9.
Reader Interactions