Burma: Ongoing detention of human rights defenders at peaceful protests

Front Line is deeply concerned about the arrest of hundreds of demonstrators, including human rights defenders and the killing of a number of demonstrators during nationwide demonstrations against a government decision to raise fuel prices in the country. Front Line considers that demonstrators who are protesting non-violently for the economic rights of others are human rights defenders, as per the UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders definition.

Further Information

Front Line has received reports of the ongoing detention of 15 human rights defenders, who were arrested on different dates in August 2007. On 17 August, members of the police arrested Ko Kyaw Soe, a member of the Human Rights Defenders and Promotors Group. He was arrested near his home in Taunggyi, the capital of the Shan State, northeast Burma. His current whereabouts are unknown.

On 21 August 2007, 14 student leader of the 88 Student Generation of Democracy were arrested. The 14 members are Paw U Tun (also known as Min Ko Naing), Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho (also known as Htay Win Aung), Min Zeyar, Ko Mya Aye, Ko Jimmy (Kyaw Min Yu), Zeya, Ant Bwe Kyaw, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe (Marki), Panneik Tun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw, Nyan Lin Tun, Ko Yin Htun,

They were arrested by security officials and members of the state backed Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA). Front Line previously wrote to the Burmese Government on 27 August 2007 expressing concern about the arrest and detention of Paw U Tun, Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho, and Min Zeyar.

All 14 human rights defenders were arrested by police officials on the eve of a major protest in Yangon on 22 August 2007. No warrants were produced for the arrests and according to an article published in the state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar they will be charged under Law 5/96, which provides for up to 20 years in prison, for their involvement in "acts undermining the efforts to successfully carry out peaceful transfer of state power and facilitate the proceedings of the National Convention." Following the arrests, members of the security forces allegedly searched the homes of the afore-mentioned individuals and confiscated documents and compact discs. Reports claim that they were detained at Kyaikkasan Detention Centre before being transferred to the notorious Insein prison outside Yangon where they may be at risk of torture, including beatings and electric shocks.