Burma junta must stop arresting political prisoners

DVB:12 December 2004

The spokesman of Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), Ko Bo Kyi told DVB that Burma’s military junta, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) must not only release all political prisoners who have been detained unfairly, it must also stop arresting the new ones.

His comment came after the junta announced that it is releasing another 5000 prisoners in December on top of 9000 it claimed to have released in November. But only around 60 political prisoners have been released so far, prompting the speculation that the junta is “evacuating” the prisons of criminals so that it could put more political prisoners into them.

Ko Bo Kyi pointed out that the majority of political prisoners released recently were those who nearly finished serving their sentences and those who had been detained beyond their release dates.

He added that it is too early yet to say whether the releases of prisoners are heading towards a positive direction, as those who deserve to be released are still not released. He urged the junta to release all political prisoners as soon as possible to show that it is serious about the promised reforms.

Recently, more active NLD members, including14 leaders and members from Bogale in Irrawaddy Division were arrested for trying to celebrate the National Day. On 2 December, U Kyaw Swe, the secretary of Chaung-U Township National League for Democracy (NLD), Sagaing Division in central Burma was sentenced to two years in prison, six days after he was arrested. He was neither allowed to hire a lawyer nor defend himself.