Arrested monks described as 'political prisoners'
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners is investigating the controversial arrest of five monks from a pagoda in Yangon's Tamwe Township, and is questioning the legality of their detention as well as the motivation for the charges against them.
British citizen senior Buddhist monk U Ottara and four other Buddhist monks were detained in the notorious Insein prison for several days after a monastery. The monks were accused of defaming Buddhism and defrocked. They were released on bail on Friday. The next hearing is scheduled for June 27.
During the court session, some 500 protesters rallied near the court building, demanding for the dismissal of President’s Office adviser Arnt Maung and for the immediate release of the monks. The protest organisers were disciples of the monastery abbot, Penang Sayadaw and members of 88 Generation Peace and Open Society and of the opposition National League for Democracy.
The association’s committee which scrutinises cases to determine whether or not prisoners can be classified as “political” will investigate the case, association joint secretary Bo Kyi told Eleven Media.
Government claims that the monks were arrested for religious offences are “nonsense” and the association believes the monks’ detention was illegal, he said.
“Authorities acted without justification and we intend to recognise these monks as political prisoners,” Bo Kyi said.” We suspect there are hidden political motives [behind the arrests],” he added.
The five monks were arrested following a raid on Maha Thanti Thukha monastery on June 10. They were released on bail on Friday afternoon after being jailed in Myanmar’s notorious Insein prison. The monastery has been at the centre of an ownership dispute between the State Sangha Maha Nayaka and its highly respected abbot, Venerable Penang Sayardaw.
On June 1, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said its scrutinising committee would begin convening twice a month, rather than once a month.
The monks’ case will be prioritised, Bo Kyi said.
Mishandling of this case could damage the country’s reputation, he added.
Myint Aung, director of a similar group, the Former Political Prisoners Society, called for the case to be resolved according to the rule of law.
The two groups of former political prisoners issued a joint statement on May 27 that said President Thein Sein had failed to honour his commitment to free all political prisoners in Myanmar by the end of last year.
They said they had “recorded evidence that this promise was not fulfilled”.
The association says at least 60 political prisoners remain behind bars and that more than 100 politically motivated cases are before the courts.
“The willingness of the international community to believe otherwise is as concerning as the ongoing arrests themselves,” the two groups said. “The arrest and imprisonment of peaceful demonstrators under laws designed to restrict civil liberties is not unfamiliar in [Myanmar], and continues unabated in 2014,” they added. “We continue to call for the release of detained human-rights defenders who should be permitted to participate in the democratic transition … rather than face harassment, persecution, and imprisonment because of their unwavering commitment to a free [Myanmar].”
Religious Affairs Minister Hsan Sint was removed from office last week. Ye Htut, presidential spokesperson, said that his role in Thanti Thukha case is one of the several mistakes the minister has made, part of repeated failures to follow the instruction of the president.
