Burma: former political prisoner and activist to face charges
Event- Country
- Myanmar
- Initial Date
- Jan 18, 2014
- Event Description
Nay Myo Zin, who carries the dubious honour of having been the first political prisoner detained under Thein Sein's reformist government, will face court on 4 March on fresh charges. The former military captain, now coordinator of Myanmar Social Life Development Network, was arrested and charged on 18 January after leading a protest of hundreds of farmers from more than 30 townships across Burma, who gathered in front of Rangoon City Hall the previous day. The group called for the release of jailed activists, constitutional reform, and the establishment of a farmers' union. The charge comes under Article 18 of the penal code, the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. Fellow activist Win Cho was arrested alongside Nay Myo Zin and will too face court on 4 March, under the same charge. Their application for a right to protest had been rejected. Nay Myo Zin spent nine months in jail in 2011 after police found articles on his laptop allegedly defaming the Burmese military. The former military man turned charity-worker received a ten-year sentence and reportedly suffered a broken pelvis while in Insein Prison. Nay Myo Zin's wife told DVB that he would have to be stretchered over to see her when she visited the infamous prison. Nay Myo Zin was released January 2012 via a presidential amnesty. Since then he has faced multiple charges, including the possession of an Aung San Suu Kyi T-shirt and matching key ring. Myanmar Social Life Development Network, which had previously received government funding, says it works to improve the lives of people in rural Burma through infrastructure and training programs. The organisation, as of last year, had installed six drilled wells, 58 water pumping machines and 28 libraries in remote villages, according to its website.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of association
- Right to Protest
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 16.799999999999972
Longitude: 96.15
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On January 18, 2014, Nay Myo Zin, coordinator of Myanmar Social Life Development Network and Win Cho, activist, were arrested for leading a protest demanding the release of jailed activists, constitutional reform, and the establishment of a farmers' union. Both will face charges under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. Nay Myo Zin has previously served jail time for possession of defamatory material, but was granted amnesty in January 2012. 01/04/2014 - Nay Myo Zin and Win Cho were sentenced to three months imprisonment by the western Rangoon District Court on 1 April 2014. They were charged for organizing a protest. 24/06/2014 - Nay Myo Zin and Win Cho have been released from Insein prison following the completion of their sentence.