Man gets 2 years in jail for love poem

Burmese poet and blogger Sam Wai was sentenced to two years in jail for writing a love poem that included references to the government.

The web writer was sentenced along with at least 23 other activists for 65 years according to one family member.

His poem titled 14th February, was basically a Valentine’s Day poem published in a popular weekly magazine in January.

“You have to be in love truly, madly, deeply and then you can call it real love,” it read. “Millions of those who know how to love, Laugh and clap those gold-gilded hands.

The first word in each line spelled out a hidden message “Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe”.

Reporters Without Borders condemned the sentence, “The authorities have imposed an extraordinarily severe punishment on Nay Phone Latt just for using the internet. This shocking sentence is meant to terrify those who go online in an attempt to elude the dictatorship’s ubiquitous control of news and information and we call for his immediate release. Saw Wai, for his part, is being made to pay for his impertinence and courage as a committed poet.”

Mr. Wai was convicted of harming public tranquility.

Times Online Article