International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Paris, 29 September 2008: The International Federation for Human
Rights (FIDH) welcomes the recent release of a few political prisoners
by the military regime. On 23 September 2008, about 9,000 prisoners were
granted an amnesty and subsequently released from various prisons in
Burma, among which a handful of political prisoners. Among them was Win
Tin, a major political opponent to the Burmese regime, jailed since 19
years.
However, many more political prisoners are still behind the bars. In May
2008, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar/Burma reported that 1 900 prisoners of opinion were still being
detained.
FIDH expresses in particular its deepest concern about the continuing
detention of the “88 Generation Student Group”. In August 2007, several
members of the 88 Generation Student Group and its leader Min Ko Naung
peacefully protested against the increase in the price of the general
commodities, connected with the military’s government’s increase in fuel
prices. Min Ko Naing and other prominent leaders have been subsequently
arrested on 21 August 2007.
The trials of the 35 members of the 88 Generation Students Group, led by
Min Ko Naing, started on August 27 and continued on September 9. They
were produced for trial on September 9 to different courts for various
charges. Among them, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Pyone Cho, Jimmy, Htay Kywe, Mya Aye,
Pannait Tun, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, and Min Zeya.
FIDH considers the detention of those peaceful protesters and leaders of
the 1988 democratic movement as arbitrary, since it exclusively aims at
sanctioning the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and
freedom of assembly. In addition, information sent to FIDH by Burma
Lawyers Council (BLC), a local human rights group, clearly shows that
the right to a fair trial and domestic provisions of criminal procedure
have been largely violated.
We urge the government to release immediately and unconditionally all
the leaders of the “88 Generation Student Group” . More generally, time
has come to release all political prisoners, as repeatedly requested by
various UN bodies – notably the Security Council, the General Assembly,
the Human Rights Council and the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar/Burma.
This is a necessary step for any credible and peaceful transition in Burma.
* Press Contact : Gaël Grilhot : +33-1 43 55 90 19