YANGON, Myanmar: Authorities in Myanmar say a court has found two Muslim women guilty of sparking a recent outbreak of sectarian violence in the country, one of them by bumping into a novice monk.
Buddhist mobs destroyed shops and burned several villages after the April 30 incident in the central town of Okkan, but no Buddhists have been prosecuted so far.
Myint Thein of the pro-government National Unity Party said yesterday the two women were convicted for "insulting religion."
Both were sentenced to two years in prison with hard labor.
Myint Thein attended the trials, which were held earlier this month.
Human rights groups say Myanmar's court system is biased in favor of the Buddhist majority. After several recent bouts of sectarian unrest, the country's courts have mostly convicted Muslims.
