A group of Burmese pro-democracy activists were today charged under Section (6)(1) of the Immigration Act for entering the country without valid documents at the Kuala Lumpur magistrate's court.

However, no plea was recorded as an interpreter was not available.

Following this, magistrate Aizatul Akmal Maharani postponed the case to Aug 10 in order to secure the services of an interpreter. Until then, the 19 men will be held at the Sungai Buloh prison.

Yesterday, Azizatul had discharged the group of an unlawful assembly charge but they were later re-arrested outside the courtroom on immigration offences.

Previously, their unlawful assembly case was also postponed twice due to the unavailability of an interpreter.

Persecution threat

Met this afternoon, the group's lawyer Latheefa Koya said she would try to ask for an earlier date for the hearing.

She also expressed concern that should her clients be found guilty and deported, they could face persecution from the military junta for being members of the National League for Democracy.

The group together with journalist Sein Mar, her seven-year-old daughter and three others were picked up for protesting outside the Burmese embassy in Kuala Lumpur on May 17.

The girl was placed under the care of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) while her mother was sent to the Kajang prison.

Last Thursday, the authorities released Sein Mar. She and her daughter are now awaiting to be repatriated to a third country.

Yesterday, the police released three others after they were found to be in possession of valid documents.

It is also learnt that that 17 of the 19 were refugees registered with the UNHCR session of valid travel documents.