MYANMAR – The former president of Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) Reverend Dr. Hkalam Samson who has been sentenced to six years imprisonment by the junta council filed an appeal at the district court on May 3 but the court rejected his appeal, said his lawyer.
“We filed an appeal on May 3. The district court rejected it. As the appeal was rejected by the district court, we will have to appeal at the state and division level. We will be doing what we can within legal means,” said the lawyer.
Dr. Hkalam Samson was sentenced to a total of six years in prison: two years in prison under section 17/1, one year under section 505(A) and three years under section 52(A); on April 7.
The reverend was charged with section 17/1 of Unlawful Associations Act for attending a meeting in Laiza that was also attended by KIO/KIA chairman General N’ban La and Lieutenant General Gun Maw.
He was charged with section 505(A) for his speech “Let’s build a nation at Christ” delivered at a Asian Zone Youths event and an addition charge under section 52(A) of the Terrorism Act for meeting with Acting President Duwa Lashi La, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Dr. Tu Hkawng and Deputy Minister of Education Ja Htoi Pan from the National Unity Government (NUG).
Dr. Hkalam Samson was initially detained at the Mandalay Airport on December 4 on his way to receive medical treatment at Bangkok and was released that evening. However, he was immediately detained again at Myitkyina Airport the next day.