Japanese Filmmaker to Serve 7 Years in Myanmar Prison

Bangkok, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)--Japanese documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota will serve seven years in prison in Myanmar after he was found guilty to two sets of charges, Myanmar military officials said Thursday.

A Myanmar court on Wednesday sentenced Kubota to seven years for violating a law on electronic communications and three years for sedition.

Kubota was detained in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, by security authorities on July 30 while filming a protest against the country's military junta, which took power in a coup.

He is also being tried for an alleged immigration violation.

Myanmar's military has said that Kubota entered the country on a tourist visa and was taking part in the protest.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]