Number of political prisoners continues to rise: AAPP

AAPP expects this trend to accelerate, the report said. 

The organisation, based in Thailand’s northern province of Tak, also recorded the release of one political prisoner last month as well as the torture of five residents of a village in Shan State. The five residents of Naugmata Village were tortured during a 48-hour interrogation over the deaths of two Tatmadaw soldiers in the area, the association said. The torture was so brutal they had to be sent to a hospital in China for treatment, it said.

AAPP reiterated that the number of political prisoners in Myanmar had risen since President Thein announced on January 1 that all of them had been freed.

“Eight months have passed since President Thein Sein promised to release all political prisoners in Burma. However, the number of political prisoners has only increased since that deadline,” the report said.

Thein Sein promised during a state visit to London in July 2013 that all political prisoners would be freed by the end of the year. The release of political prisoners was one condition of the easing of sanctions by Western governments. They were released, however, as part of general amnesties of criminals, with most having their sentences suspended and told that they could be sent back. The 15 amnesties under Thein Sein’s administration included the release of 1,181 dissidents and 22,238 criminals.

In the first eight months of this year, 84 political prisoners were incarcerated in Myanmar, while more than 120 individuals are awaiting trial over politically motivated activities, according to AAPP. 

It noted that Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Act is the most common piece of legislation used to jail people engaged in political activities. 

“Barring any significant political turnaround or change of policy, the number of political prisoners is likely to continue to increase throughout the remainder of 2014,” AAPP said. 

Among the newly imprisoned individuals was Ko Win Hlaing, an activist from Prome Township. On August 28, he was sentenced to three months in jail under Section 18 for protesting against what he considered unfair motorbike helmet laws, which require those caught not wearing a helmet to pay two fines instead of one.

Most of those jailed, however, were farmers or activists fighting for the return of land seized by the military, government ministries or businesses.

The jailing of farmers protesting against what they describe as the theft of their farmland continued last month, with another 14 incarcerated for staging ploughing protests, while 19 more were charged over land disputes. At least one dispute turned violent with three villagers being shot by police, AAPP said. 

“The continued incarceration and arrest of farmers and land activists alike is of continued concern to AAPP,” it said.

The BBC also reported that those some of those detained in prison were being treated inhumanely. U Kaung Tun, a jailed farmer Kantbalu Township, is being forced to make 700 sandalwood incense sticks per day in Pakokku Prison. Kaung Tun is an FNI (Facilitator Network with ILO) coordinator and is about 70 years old. He is the only jailed farmer in the township being forced to make incense sticks, the report said.

AAPP also acknowledged an improvement in the area of press freedom, with a slight caution on President Thein Sein’s remarks. 

Following an uptick in media censorship and the arrest of journalists in the first half of the year, last month saw an increase in dialogue between the government and media groups. 

On August 1, President Sein Thein met with the interim Press Council and agreed to recognise it as a mediation body in future disputes over media freedom. Newly appointed Information Minister U Ye Htut met with the council on August 16 and Myanmar Journalist Association chairman Ko Ko on August 17 to discuss media freedom and solutions to disputes over media coverage. 

In addition, Parliament is considering amendments to the Penal Code to remove Article 499 and 500, both of which are remnants from the colonial era that have been used to jail journalists, AAPP said in its latest monthly update.

However, it expressed caution over the government’s move, saying that despite the appearance of more amicable relations President Sein Thein also warned that the media should exercise its freedom responsibly and “harmoniously”.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Yangon is meeting with reporters and other media workers this week to educate them about protection clauses under international humanitarian law and United Nations conventions.

AAPP and the Former Political Prisoners Society also conducted a two-day workshop last month aimed at defining the term “political prisoner”. It drew former political prisoners, and representatives of civil society groups, international non-governmental organisations and political parties. The workshop produced a broad definition of “political prisoner” all parties present agreed that upon. 

A political prisoner should be defined on the basis of the incident he or she is arrested for rather than the charges laid. According to the definition, anyone arrested, detained, or sentenced with political intent for direct or indirect movement, support, or participating in acts for freedom, justice, equality, or human rights will now be considered a political prisoner.

The definition also covers those who have been arrested, detained, or sentenced for objecting, making a speech, distributing and publishing, demonstrating, or showing dissatisfaction or objection via another form, supporting, plotting, or being involved in demonstrations against the Constitution, a law, the “three pillars”, or the government.

MPs from the opposition National League for Democracy will submit the definition to Parliament in the hope that the government will officially recognise that distinction between “political prisoners” and criminals – even as their numbers continue to rise.