AAPP Chronology June 2009 [Eng]

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Please Note: All information contained in this report is correct to the best of AAPP’s knowledge at the time of going to press. The situation inside Burma is changing very rapidly, and this should be considered a ‘live’document. If you reproduce this report or sections of it, please retain all original links and attribute it to AAPP.Thanks.

P.O Box 93, Mae Sot, Tak Province 63110, Thailande.mail:info@aappb.orgwebsite:www.aappb.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary of Current Situation

There are a total of

2,160

political prisoners in Burma.

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These include:CATEGORY NUMBER Monks 219Members of Parliament 15Students 283 Women 191NLD members 472Members of the Human Rights Defenders and Promotersnetwork 43Ethnic nationalities 197Cyclone Nargis volunteers 21Teachers 26Media activists 51Lawyers 12In poor health 136Since the protests in August 2007 leading to last September’s Saffron Revolution, atotal of

1,086

activists have been arrested and are still in detention.

Monthly trend analysis

Arrested, Sentenced, Released

050100150200250

S e p - 0 8 O c t - 0 8 N o v - 0 8 D e c - 0 8 J a n - 0 9 F e b - 0 9 M a r - 0 9 A p r - 0 9 M a y - 0 9 J u n - 0 9

ArrestedSentencedReleased

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Around 30 political prisoners were released in December. Some had come to the end of their prisonterm and others were released without charge.

During the month of June 2009, atleast 9 activists were arrested and 3 were sentenced. 1 political prisoner was transferred, and 5 werereleased after completing theirsentences. An increasing numberof political prisoners - now 136 -are in poor health due to the harshprison conditions, transfers toremote prisons where there are nodoctors, and the denial of propermedical care.

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Please Note: All information contained in this report is correct to the best of AAPP’s knowledge at the time of going to press. The situation inside Burma is changing very rapidly, and this should be considered a ‘live’document. If you reproduce this report or sections of it, please retain all original links and attribute it to AAPP.Thanks.

On 12 May 2009, Salai Hla Moe became the 140

th

political prisoner to die in Burma’sprisons, labour camps and detention centres since 1988. His family were only informed of his death during a routine prison visit at the end of the month, almostthree weeks after his death. The prison authorities did not release his body to hisfamily for a Christian burial in accordance with his faith; they had already crematedor buried him before the family visited. He was suffering from hepatitis and stomachswelling and had not received proper medical care in prison.On 15 June, a delegation from the Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now! campaign,including Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) Secretary TateNaing, handed over 677,254 petition signatures to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon via his Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari. The petition calls on Ban Ki-moon tomake it his personal priority to secure the release of all Burma's political prisoners.On 16 June the delegation held a press conference at the UN hosted by the CzechPermanent Mission to the UN. "We urge Mr. Ban Ki-moon to accept nothing lessthan the immediate and unconditional release of all Burma's political prisoners in hiscurrent negotiations with the regime," said Khin Ohmar, Foreign Affairs Secretary atthe Forum For Democracy in Burma. "Further delay should not be an option."On 27 June the UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Burma for a brief three-day visit with the aim of paving the way for a trip by Ban Ki-moon. On 30June, Ban Ki-moon announced he would visit Burma on 3 July, the day Daw AungSan Suu Kyi's trial had been set to resume after numerous delays and rejection of theappeal to reinstate two defence witnesses. The trial is now set to continue on 10 July.Speaking in Tokyo on 30 June, Ban said, "I consider that three of the most importantissues for [Burma] cannot be left unaddressed at this juncture. The first [is the]release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This is thecommitment and concerns and aspiration of the international community. I am goingto convey this strongly to Snr-Gen Than Shwe and other leaders,” he said.

Treatment of prisoners and their families

The number of political prisoners in poor health has been steadily increasing over thepast few months, as the impact of prison transfers and denial of proper medical caretakes its toll. More than 230 political prisoners have been transferred to remote jailsaway from their families since November last year. Due to inadequate healthcareprovision in Burma's prisons, political prisoners rely on their family members to bring them medicines and other essential items. This is much more difficult for thefamilies when their loved ones are transferred to remote prisons.Five political prisoners in Rangoon's Insein prison have been held in punishmentcells [military dog cells] and banned from receiving family visits since 11 May 2009,the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) has learned. The reasonfor their punishment is unknown. They are U Naing Naing (National League forDemocracy Member of Parliament), U Soe Han (NLD member and lawyer), AungNaing (NLD member), Lwin Ko Latt (student and member of the All BurmaFederation of Student Unions), and U Sandimar (senior abbot monk).

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Please Note: All information contained in this report is correct to the best of AAPP’s knowledge at the time of going to press. The situation inside Burma is changing very rapidly, and this should be considered a ‘live’document. If you reproduce this report or sections of it, please retain all original links and attribute it to AAPP.Thanks.

U Naing Naing is suffering from a hernia and also hypertension. U Soe Han has eyeproblems. Their families have been banned from visiting, and have been unable toprovide them with essential medicines. The families are now very worried for thehealth of their loved ones.(12 June 2009 AAPP)

Prisoners Released

Five people were released from prison in June. They were Thant Zin Oo (brother of political prisoner Thant Zin Myo, he was sentenced to six months in prison forreading a letter addressed to Senior General Than Shwe complaining about the lack of healthcare in prisons during a prison visit to Thant Zin Myo), Than Htay, MoeKyaw aka Kyaw Moe Aung, Aung Naing Min, and Zaw Naing. All were released aftercompleting their sentences. (12 June 2009 Narinjaraand AAPP sources).

National League for Democracy

472 NLD members are currently detained. NLD members continue to be harassed by the authorities, particularly in connection with the trial of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.Five NLD members were arrested in June; including three NLD youth who werearrested for printing and distributing photos of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. NLDTownship Vice-Chairperson U Ba Myint was transferred to the remote Bamaw prisonfor holding a demonstration calling for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release.

27 June 2009NLD Youth member arrested

Naing Yan Lin (NLD Youth member) and Kyaw Kyaw (friend of Naing Yan Lin) fromNorth Okkalapa Township in Rangoon were arrested. Authorities searched Kyaw Kyaw's home and confiscated some material. At present there are no further detailsregarding their arrest. (29 June 2009 AAPP Source)

22 June 2009Sandar is in poor health

Sandar, one of the Twante Township NLD members, has been in solitary confinement in Myingyan prison without proper medical treatement. She is sufferingfrom heart disease and hypertension, and also gout and stomach pain. Her healthcondition is deteriorating. (22 June 2009 RFA )

NLD member charged

Aye Aye Than aka Han Mi Dar, member of NLD from Dala Township, was arrestedon March 6, 2009, along with former political prisonors Sain Hlaing and Shwe Joe,and one unknown person. They have all been charged with Section 505 (b) of thePenal Code. (22 June 2009 AAPP Source)

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