Source: Morning Star News, June 20, 2017
One of two assistant pastors arrested by the Burma army last Christmas Eve is suffering deteriorating health from malnutrition, sources said.
Pastor Dom Dawng Nawng Latt, 65, has become weak, lacks energy and suffers from asthma and diarrhea, according to his wife and a lawyer for Nawng Latt and fellow pastor La Jaw Gam Hseng, 35, who is on trial with him.
The two were arrested in Burma (Myanmar) for helping local journalists cover attacks on a Catholic church building in northern Shan state, in eastern Burma, in November 2016.
Normally suspects can be held for only 28 days without trial under Burmese law, the attorney said. The two pastors finally appeared at a trial hearing in Lashio on May 3.
A Burma army prosecutor has charged the two pastors under the Unlawful Association Act with recruiting and spying for armed ethnic groups such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the second largest ethnic armed group in Burma. The two Kachin Baptist Convention pastors, along with other denominational leaders, deny the charge. Human Rights Watch has decried the arrests as arbitrary and called on Burma to release the pastors immediately.
Armed conflict between Burma and ethnic armed organizations erupted anew in northern Shan state in November 2016, forcing over 50,000 refugees in total to flee to other areas of the state and the border with China.
ยป See full story with picture. Another story from Morning Star News reports about four Iranian converts to Christianity charged with acting against national security and awaiting a verdict after lengthy delays.