Protecting former govt's misconducts on prisoners

 

The government has checked the lists of political prisoners submitted by AAPP and FPPS. Among them, three were released and 27 were charged with committing other crimes. The President Office has abolished the sentences connected to political movements with the order (51/2013) and the sentences for other crimes will depend on respective decisions of the courts, according to government statement released on November 1.

Their statement is not a positive act for national reconciliation, according to AAPP and FPPS.

After reading the statements in the government-owned newspapers, it is obvious that those sentenced were facing hardship, according to Bo Kyi of AAPP. 

“Three officials from the military are being sentenced to long-term imprisonment by the government for expressing their feelings. The government accused them of acting against the military and been unfaithful. It is not fair that the government is taking such an action,” said Bo Kyi.

Chit Ko from Insein prison, contacted the International Labour Organisation (ILO) through e-mail to inquire how the ILO can help him from resigning from the Air Force (Myeik air force headquarters) as he has been assigned duty there. He was sentenced to 10 years.

Min Thein Tun from Insein prison served as a supervising officer at the headquarters of repairing and maintaining air-conditioned buses. While he was serving in the air force, the government accused him of talking to other people about the air force and he was sentenced to 7 years.

Nay Lin Dway from Insein prison while he was serving at the Myeik air force base headquarters as an officer wrote about his feeling of not getting promotion, administration problems and difficulties of various levels of service men in the air force through the internet. He was sentenced to 20 years.

In their (AAPP and FPPS) release, it mentioned that government cooperation with other committee members in the scrutinising committee for remaining political prisoners formed by the President in February 2013 is very weak.

AAPP and FPPS stated that 27 prisoners mentioned in the government-owned newspapers were designated as political prisoners and demand for their quick release.