The Case of Patrick Kum Jaa Lee
Case Law- Country
- Country Location
Latitude: 21.9162
Longitude: 95.956
- Country Location (linked Case Law)
- Myanmar
- Decision Date
- Jan 22, 2016
- Case Status
- Closed
- Case Outcome (Procedural)
- Remanded for Decision in Accordance with Ruling
- Case Outcome (Disposition)
- Sanctions (Imprisonment and/or Fine)
- Keywords
- Defamation
- Political Expression
- Public Officials
- Judicial Body
- First Instance Court
- Court Name
- Hlaing Township Court in Yangon (formerly Rangoon)
- Case Number
- N/A
- Case Summary
On October 14, 2015, Burmese activist Patrick Kum Jaa Lee was arrested without warrant for mocking the country's commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing, on Facebook. On January 22, 2016, the Court found Patrick guilty of "online defamation" and sentenced him to six months in prison. Prior to his arrest and conviction, Chaw Sandi Tun, a young Burmese woman, was also detained for an online post mocking the military. He was released on April 1, 2016 after serving his sentence. Columbia Global Freedom of Expression could not identify the official legal and government records on the case and that the information contained in this report was derived from secondary sources. It must be noted that media outlets may not provide complete information about this case. Additional information regarding this legal matter will be updated as an official source becomes available.
- Case Significance
The decision does not establish a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.
- Source URL
- Columbia Global Freedom of Expression
- Collection
- CIPIT
- Date Updated
- May 15, 2024