Burma

Front Line is deeply concerned following the arrest of human rights defender Zaw Thet Htwe on 13 June 2008. Zaw Thet Htwe is a journalist who has criticised corruption and attempted to provide disaster relief to people in Burma in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.  

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of an attack against human rights defender U Myint Aye, Director of the human rights organisation Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP), former Chairman of the National League for Democracy's Kyimindine branch, and a campaigner for democracy and the rule of law in Burma. This attack took place in Rangoon on 27 March 2008. U Myint Aye has been detained on several occasions by the authorities, most recently on 24 August 2007 for participation in a peaceful demonstration.  

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arrest and detention of another five members of the '88 Generation Student Group in the early hours of 13 October 2007. The five are Htay Kywe, a former leader of the pro-democracy student protests in 1988 and four other members of the group: Mie Mie (also known as Thin Thin Aye), Ko Aung Thu, Zaw Htet Ko Ko and Hein Htet (also known as Aung Gyi). All five were arrested, along with a sympathiser who had been helping them, when security forces raided the hide-out where they had evaded arrest since the crackdown on opposition groups by Burmese military leaders.  

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.