It is time to free all human rights defenders and stop ongoing arbitrary arrests and imprisonment

OnDecember 11, 2013, Burma’s President Thein Sein ordered the release of 41additional political prisoners in his latest amnesty. Among those freed werehuman rights defenders Ko Htin Kyaw, leader of the Movement forDemocracy Current Force (MDCF), a community-based organisation that representsgrass-roots communities and struggles against land-grabbing and other humanrights violations, and Mr. Moe Thway, leader of the Generation Wave, anetwork of human rights defenders that campaigns for civil and politicalrights, including the signature of the International Covenant on Civil andPolitical Rights by Burma. Mr Moe Thway was within ten days of completing hisfull prison term at the time of the presidential pardon.

However,it was reported that Ko Htin Kyaw was re-arrested on the same day on a seditioncharge. Another human rights defender, Aye Thein, was also re-arrestedon more charges, including one of sedition. Labour activist Aye Thein had beenjailed for protesting against the relocation of a street vendors’ market inMandalay. Meanwhile, recently released human rights defender Naw Ohn Hla, leading member of the Democracy andPeace Women Network, also found herself back behind bars on “religiousoffences”.

Inaddition, approximately 40 political prisoners remain behind bars and at least200 people, including farmers who protested against land confiscation, areawaiting trial. Many are facing charges under the Peaceful Gathering andDemonstration Law, which prescribes up to one year in prison for those whodemonstrate without obtaining the authorities’ prior permission.

“The amnesty also failed to address the diresituation of Rohingya in Arakan State as the government failed to releaseMessrs. Tun Aung and Kyaw Hla Aung, two defenders of the rightsof the Rohingyas in Arakan/Rakhine State who remaindetained along with hundreds of Rohingya following sectarian violence in 2012”,FIDH President Karim Lahidji deplored. In August andOctober 2013, various courts in Northern Arakan State sentenced a total of 115Rohingya to lengthy prison terms for their alleged involvement in last year’scommunal unrest.

FIDHSecretary General and Coordinator of Altsean-Burma, Debbie Stothard, describedthe situation as a “recycling” of political prisoners: “The release and re-arrest of humanrights defenders is a traditional tactic of the authorities. As long asrepressive laws are maintained, all those released will be under constantthreat of being thrown back into jail for their human rights work”,she said.

Aswith previous releases of political prisoners, the December-11 amnesty wasstrategically timed to coincide with an important international event. In thisinstance, it was the opening ceremony of the 27th Southeast AsiaGames, which are hosted by Burma.

“Wecall for the immediate and unconditional release of Ko Htin Kyaw, Aye Thein,Naw Ohn Hla, Tun Aung and Kyaw Hla Aung, as well as all human rights defenderswho remain detained. The releaseand re-arrest tactics is one of dictatorships and not of States in a supposeddemocratic transition. Such sarcastic games at the detriment of human beingsmust become the past. There is only way forward to a free society: a commitmentto create an environment in which society can flourish in its diversity, andhuman rights defenders are a torch of freedom protecting the rights”, concluded OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock.

Formore information, please contact:

• FIDH: Audrey Couprie/Arthur Manet: +33 1 43 55 25 18
• OMCT: Delphine Reculeau: +41 22 809 49 39