Win Myint Hlaing, 52, a former parliamentarian from the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) party, has been sentenced to 148 years in prison by a court in military-ruled Myanmar. This is in addition to a previous conviction, for a total of 173 years in prison.

The sentence handed down to Win Myint Hlaing on Monday following his conviction on terrorism charges appeared to be the longest given to any member of Aung San Suu Kyi's government or NLD party since the military seized power in February 2021.

A court in Magway district, approximately 480 kilometers (300 miles) north of Yangon's commercial capital, found Win Myint Hlaing guilty of eight counterterrorism offenses and sentenced him to 148 years on Monday, a source familiar with the case told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of arrest.

According to the source, Win Myint Hlain was previously convicted in March, April, and June of five incitement and terrorism-related offenses and sentenced to a total of 25 years.

The most recent crimes for which Win Myint Hlain was convicted occurred while he was already incarcerated, the person said.

Political trials in Myanmar are typically held behind closed doors, so the evidence used to convict suspects is unknown.

According to a source with knowledge of Magway prison, long-term prisoners, including Win Myint Hlaing, are shackled.

In July, the military rulers of Myanmar executed four political activists convicted of terrorism and anti-coup activities.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who was arrested on the day the military seized power, has been sentenced to 26 years in prison on charges her supporters claim were made up to discredit her and prevent her from running for office.

Last year, the military-controlled media outlet Global New Light of Myanmar reported that Win Myint Hlaing commanded a local People's Defense Force (PDF) unit and had amassed weapons and explosives used in "terror acts to undermine the peace and stability of the State."

According to the news source, the PDF unit attacked an education office, a bank, and police stations and carried out bombings, arson attacks, and assassinations.

In 2015, Win Myint Hlain was elected to the local parliament of Myanmar's central Magway region. He did not participate in the 2020 election, but he had participated in anti-military protests before his arrest in November 2021 in Yaksawk township in eastern Shan state.

A day after his arrest, security forces seized his home in Magway's Taungdwingyi township, forcing his family to flee.

Myanmar's military takeover was initially met with widespread peaceful protests that were violently suppressed, sparking armed resistance that some United Nations experts have compared to a civil war.