Seven activists incarcerated for their involvement in the Letpadan education protests have been placed in solitary confinement as punishment for bringing prohibited items into the prison.

According to Soe Naing Oo, a local resident and activist supporter, the seven detainees were punished with up to six weeks solitary confinement when cigarettes and betel nuts were found on their persons after previous warnings from the guards.

“Among the group, those who already had one warning were punished with two weeks solitary confinement, and those who had been warned twice, with four weeks,” he said.

[related]

Defendants who had received more than two warnings were to be put in confinement for six weeks.

Last week, thirty-five other activists had family prison visits banned for the same offense.

Than Htike, Aung Myint Han, Kyaw Zaw Linn, Khant Aung, Hein Zaw Win, Yan Naing Soe and Kyaw Kyaw Tun were arrested on 10 March after police violently broke up a demonstration at Letpadan, a town in Pegu [Bag] Division, 150 kilometres north of Rangoon. They are among nearly 70 other activists who are currently facing charges for involvement in the protest.