The military is attempting to find a way to discourage foreign activists from entering Myanmar and inciting the population to revolt, while at the same time avoiding repercussions from the governments of countries from which the activists come. Earlier this year, the military government sentenced a British national, James Mawdsley, to five years in prison for also handing out pro-democracy leaflets here. He was released after three months. Mr Mawdsley had been detained in 1997 for a similar action, but was deported with just a warning from the government not to return. Myanmar citizens put on trial rarely ever receive an attorney to defend them, democracy activistsand human rights groups have said.
Trials usually consist of reading out the charges and sentencing the accused, they say.
Most trials take less than an hour, as the sentence has already been decided by officials higher up in the government, the activists and groups say. The foreigners are unlikely, however, to receive the same treatment. Mr Mawdsley was represented by a Myanmar lawyer at his trial. Insein prison, which sits just beyond the court, is where hundreds of political prisoners are kept along with violent criminals. Political prisoners are frequently subjected to torture and kept in solitary confinement or cells meant for military dogs, human rights groups and former prisoners say.