Blog Elements – Page 557

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Presidential Amnesty does little to Liberate Burma’s Political Prisoners

August 6, 2015/in Member statements

Date: July 31, 2015 The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) are greatly disappointed at the release of only a handful of political prisoners yesterday, among thousands of criminal offenders set free in the amnesty. On July 30, 2015, the Ministry of Information announced the release of 6,966 […]

ND-Burma launches the report of “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon

ND-Burma launches its new report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma”

July 17, 2015/in Activities, ND-Burma

(Yangon, 11 June 2015) We have successfully launched the report of “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma,” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon on 11 June 2015. In the report launch, Ma Thin Thin Aung as moderator, Lway Poe Ngel from Advocacy team (PWO), San Htoi (KWAT) and Su […]

Presidential Amnesty does little to Liberate Burma’s Political Prisoners

August 6, 2015/in Member statements

ND-Burma launches its new report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma”

July 17, 2015/in Activities, ND-Burma

Date: July 31, 2015
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) are greatly disappointed at the release of only a handful of political prisoners yesterday, among thousands of criminal offenders set free in the amnesty.

On July 30, 2015, the Ministry of Information announced the release of 6,966 prisoners in the first presidential amnesty since October 2014. Of those 6,966, only 13 political prisoners were granted freedom. This number is drastically disproportionate to the amount of political activists currently detained, with the 13 political prisoners all serving relatively short terms of imprisonment, or had in some cases almost completed their sentences. Yet, included in the amnesty were 155 Chinese nationals found guilty of illegal logging in Kachin State on July 22, 153 of which were sentenced to life imprisonment. Their release, less than 10 days after their sentencing following demands from China to free the prisoners and return them to their country of origin, raises serious doubts regarding Burma’s sovereignty and the validity of the rule of law in the country. The release of many criminal prisoners, in particular the backtracking shown in the case of the Chinese detainees, further reiterates how little respect for rule of law there is in Burma, and how urgently reforms in this area are needed.

With the number of arrests of political and human rights activists on the rise, it is evident that the government is increasingly cracking down on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression in the run up to general election. There are currently 120 political prisoners behind bars, with a further 444 people awaiting trial.

AAPP and FPPS call on the Government of Burma to unconditionally release the remaining political prisoners ahead of the November election, and end the ongoing trials of those facing charges. In addition, AAPP and FPPS urge the international community to stand with us in our efforts to ensure the Government of Burma heed this call.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS)
Contact:

Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary +66 (0) 81 287 8751
Bo Kyi, AAPP Joint Secretary +95 (0) 94 2530 8840
Tin Maung Oo (FPPS) +95 (0) 955 01429

(Yangon, 11 June 2015) We have successfully launched the report of “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma,” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon on 11 June 2015.

ND-Burma’s press conference of the report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon, Myanmar

In the report launch, Ma Thin Thin Aung as moderator, Lway Poe Ngel from Advocacy team (PWO), San Htoi (KWAT) and Su Su Swe (TWU) as panels.

Lway Poe Ngel explained about ND-Burma, UTP project, methodology and summary. Su Su Swe talked about Land Confiscation problems, which are a large part of the issues in the southern part of Burma and the recommendations and how to solve this problem. San Htoi also presented Torture and Killings cases which are majorly centered around Kachin and Northern Shan State, how to document those cases, how the Government acknowledged the past and current Human Rights abuses and how they should start to implement the reparation program for those who are suffering in the past and current.

Over 70 individuals, local media and CSOs attended the press conference.

The report can be download here.