American to stand trial in Myanmar for fraud

YANGON, Myanmar — A Myanmar-born American jailed for allegedly plotting to incite unrest in the military-ruled country was brought before a court Wednesday on charges that carry a sentence of up to 14 years, his lawyer said.

Kyaw Zaw Lwin was charged with fraud and forgery but not with inciting unrest, of which he was earlier accused, said his lawyer, Nyan Win. The fraud and forgery charges each carry a prison term of seven years.

A hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 23 with testimony by prosecution witnesses, including immigration officials, the lawyer said.

Authorities arrested the U.S. citizen, also referred to as Nyi Nyi Aung, on arrival at Yangon airport on Sept. 3. According to dissident groups he is a resident of Maryland.

“Nyi Nyi Aung is well and in good spirits,” said Nyan Win. A U.S. Embassy consular official was also present in the courtroom, which is inside Yangon’s notorious Insein prison, said Drake Weisert, an embassy spokesman.

Nyan Win said his client told him on Monday that he was physically tortured while being interrogated during the early part of his detention. He denied allegations that he was plotting to incite unrest.

The U.S. Embassy said it has made a formal complaint to Myanmar’s military government over Kyaw Zaw Lwin’s claims that he was mistreated in prison.

Myanmar authorities accused Kyaw Zaw Lwin of entering Myanmar to stir up protests by Buddhist monks, who led pro-democracy demonstrations in 2007 that were brutally suppressed by the junta. Authorities said he confessed to plotting with dissident groups outside the country, and accused him of links to several activists inside Myanmar who planned to set off bombs.

Nyan Win said his client was charged with forgery for allegedly making a national identity card.

Lawyers Nyan Win and Kyi Win led the legal team that defended pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a recent high-profile trial that resulted in an extension of her house arrest. She is currently serving an 18-month sentence after spending 14 of the past 20 years in detention.

Kyaw Zaw Lwin’s mother is serving a five-year jail term for political activities and his sister was sentenced to 65 years in prison for her role in the 2007 pro-democracy protests, activist groups and family members said.