2 pro-democracy lawyers jailed in Myanmar

Myanmar's High Court sentenced two lawyers from Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party to four months each in prison for contempt of court, a party spokesman told AFP yesterday.
Nyan Win said the jailing of Aung Thein and Khin Maung Shein, who have represented student activists in the courts, was a sign of increased pressure on the party from the ruling junta.
"U Aung Thein and U Khin Maung Shein were sentenced to four months imprisonment each by the High Court on Friday morning. They were taken from their homes Friday night," Nyan Win told AFP.
"Although they can appeal, U Aung Thein said he will not as he doesn't recognise the sentence," he said.
"We are in a difficult situation now as they (the laywers) often represented political activists. This is strong pressure from the authorities," Nyan Win added.
Aung Thein and Khin Maung Shein made their defence to the High Court in Myanmar's main city Yangon on Thursday after receiving a letter last week that charged they had disrespected the court during an earlier trial of student activists.
The US State Department on Friday condemned Myanmar for charging lawyers defending student activists.
"These actions represent a blatant attempt by the regime to intimidate these lawyers and demonstrate its contempt for the rule of law," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said in statement.
Wood demanded that Myanmar release another lawyer, Nyi Nyi Htwe, sentenced to six months in prison last week for disturbing court procedure, and stop the prosecution of another lawyer, Saw Kyaw Kyaw Min, who also faces possible prison time for contempt of court.