A court in Mandalay has sentenced four key defendants in a trial of six people who were facing charges relating to establishment of Islamic Army. The Mandalay district court delivered its verdict on 22 December. All defendants were given five years sentence on different charge on which the verdict was announced on 29 November. The six, including the painters U Zaw Min Htwe from Mandalay and U Myint Thein who are from Bamao were arrested in 2014 on allegation of establishment of an Islamic army, with the help of Kachin Independence Army. All the decedents were given five years imprisonment by the Amarapura Township court under the section 505 b of the criminal procedure code which is related to sedition, despite of it was repealed by the parliament. Other charge was under the section 50 J. Other charges related to the case was head by the Amarapura Township Court which imposed three years imprisonment to all six defendants under the section 17 A of Unlawful Association Act and five years imprisonment on sedition charges. They were asked to serve all the prison terms concurrently. Among the defendants the Painter U Zaw Min Htwe, U Myint Thein, U a Rehaman and U Khin Maung Shwe were given life imprisonment (20 years) under sedition charges. The same defendants are also to stand trial on 5 January at the Mandalay District Court which indicted them under the section 50 J and 52 A of Anti-Terrorism Law. Their family said they have to face five charges in a same case. Daw Khin Win Myint the wife of the painter U Zaw Min Htwe told The Voice Journal that it was unfair for them to face several charges in the same case and they would appeal in the higher court after consultation with their lawyers. The people were arrested on highway between Mandalay and Bhamo on 4 August 2014. They are 1. Abdul Rehman (a.k.a) E Rahman (a.k.a) Babu who is from Myitkyina 2. Myint Thein (a.k.a) Musa from Bhamo 3. Kyaw Naing (a.k.a) Haji Hasan Bhamo 4. Min Htet (a.k.a) Ah Nit from Bhamo 5. Han Lin Oo (a.k.a) R Razak from Bhamo, 6. Myat Noe Aung (a.k.a) Tu Phe Bhamo and 7. Zaw Min Htwe (a.k.a). Zaw Htwe Mandalay Sein Pan. They were arrested by the security forces on allegation of attempting to establish an Islamic army in collaboration with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). They have denied the charges against them. Reference: The Voice, 7 Day Daily, Friday Times Journal