Burmese Blogger Jailed for 20 Years

Nay Phone Latt, a Burmese blogger who dared to speak up against the thugs in the military junta, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. From BBC:

Nay Phone Latt was arrested in January; the sentence delivered on Monday included 15 years for offences under the Electronics Act, two years for "creating public alarm" and three and a half years for offences under the Video Act, his mother said.

One of his offences was apparently the possession of a banned video.

His blogs during the September 2007 uprising provided invaluable information about events within the locked-down country.

The state-censored Myanmar Times did a short piece on Burmese bloggers in August 2007 that said "During the seminar, well-known Myanmar bloggers will share their own experiences with online writing and host discussions on the nature of blogging, its advantages and disadvantages, and give information about the group’s website." Apparently, exercising the natural right of free speech wasn't allowed, and it's very sad to hear.