Nearly 400 political dissidents still facing charges in Myanmar: AAPP

The AAPP report on prisoners of conscience, released on February 1, said the President’s Office decided to grant presidential amnesty to 52 prisoners of conscience on January 22 because of pressure from international governments and human rights organisations. But in February, more activists have been arrested for political reasons and given punishments despite the previous presidential amnesty. The political activists, including the imprisoned students who protested against National Educational Law in Letpadan nearly a year ago, charged with multiple crimes, including some during the course of their trials.

Seven political activists were arrested in January 2016, bringing the number of political activists facing charges to 399. The number of prisoners of conscience in prisons across the country is 86, according to the AAPP report.

Thirty-two political activists faced new charges between January 22 and 31, some of whom were sued under Section 18 for illegal protests. Ye Yint Paing Hmu, Shine Min Htet Zaw and Kaung Zaw Hein were charged under Section 18 for demanding the immediate release of imprisoned students and activists at a protest in March 2015. The Chanayethasan Township court sentenced Ye Yint Paing Hmu on January 26 to six months in prison. The police on January 26 informed 10 students that they had been charged under Section 18 for protesting against the National Education Law in August 2014, the AAPP report said.

Imprisoned activists Naw Ohn Hla and Tin Htut Paing were charged under Section 18 in January for marching to commemorate the 26th anniversary of Myanmar’s  ‘1988 uprising’, which fell on August 8, 2014. Moreover, 12 political activists were sentenced and 69 prisoners of conscience were released. Nineteen prisoners of conscience have reported health problems. The Letpadan protesters who were imprisoned in Thayawady Prison still remain in a critical condition, according to the AAPP report.

The AAPP compiled a list of prisoners of conscience and those facing charges after the workshop organised by political parties, political prisoner associations and civic organisations had been conducted in Yangon in August 2014.