A court in military-ruled Myanmar has jailed three prominent showbusiness figures for three years each for their part in protests against February’s coup, media reported.

The military overthrew the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi on 1 February. In the early days of the protests that ensued, huge crowds gathered in cities and towns, and many actors and singers used social media to voice their support, with some speaking at rallies.

Among those who took part were the high-profile actor couple Pyay Ti Oo and Eaindra Kyaw Zin, who were arrested in April and charged under a section of the penal code that outlaws the spreading of dissent.

On Thursday a court in the main city of Yangon jailed them for three years with hard labour, the Mizzima news agency and the BBC’s Burmese-language service reported. Reuters was not able to contact the court or the couple’s lawyers for comment, and a spokesperson for the military junta did not answer a call seeking comment.

The actor-director Lu Min, who has starred in more than 1,000 films, received the same sentence on the same charge, Mizzima and the BBC reported. Reuters was not able to contact his lawyer.

The actor-director Lu Min (left) with Aung San Suu Kyi in September 2019.

Another celebrity, Paing Takhon, a model, was sentenced to three years in jail with hard labour on Monday, according to his lawyer.

Myanmar has a thriving arts and entertainment scene. Much of the theatre and music is rooted in traditional themes, but Burmese-language cover versions of Asian and western pop songs are hugely popular and young Myanmar singers and actors have big followings.

At least 1,377 people have been killed and more than 11,000 jailed in a crackdown on protests and armed opposition since the coup, according to a tally by the Association for Assistance of Political Prisoners. The military government disputes those numbers and says soldiers have also been killed in clashes.