Myanmar (Burma)
21.03.02
Urgent Interventions
Myanmar: Dr. Salai Tun Than in Burma sentenced to seven years imprisonment
Case MMR 010202.2
Follow-up to Case MMR 010202
Disproportionate prison sentence
Geneva, March 21st, 2002
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Burma (Myanmar).
New information:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission HK of the sentencing to seven years imprisonment of 74-year old Dr. Salai Tun Than on February 8th, 2002, in Burma.
According to the information received, on February 8th, 2002 Dr. Salai Tun Than was sentenced to seven years imprisonment under Article 5(J) of the 1950 State Emergency Act, by an internal tribunal at Insein Prison. After he received his sentence, members of his family were allowed to visit him. Mr. Tun Than had been held incommunicado since his arrest on November 29th, 2001. In February, 2002, he met the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Maynmar, Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro. Mr. Tun Than is suffering from a serious eye condition, and he requires an operation as a result of this within the next six months.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Salai Tan Than, due to his age and medical condition, and fears that he may be subjected to ill-treatment and torture due to the historical precedent of the treatment of political activists in Burmese prisons. Furthermore, OMCT condemns the government’s continuing use of arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention of political activists in order to silence their public opposition to the military dictatorship.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, Dr. Than, a retired rector of the Yezin University in Pyinmana (Upper Burma), was arrested in late November while handing out copies of a petition that called on the military regime to return power to civilian rule. Dr. Than, who is not affiliated with any political movement, was petitioning the government in his own name. In essence, Dr. Than’s petition called on the military regime to hold multiparty elections within a year.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Burma urging them to:
· take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Salai Tun Than;
· intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure that the adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency Dr. Salai Tun Than;
· order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
· guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and Development Council, Office of the Prime Minister, Yangon, Myanmar
· Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, Secretary 1, State Peace and Development Council, C/o Ministry of Defense, Signal Pagoda Road, Yangon, Union of Myanmar, Fax: 00 95 1 222 950
· U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yangon, Myanmar, Email: mofa.aung@mptmail.net.mm
Please also write to the embassies of Burma in your respective country.
Geneva, March 21st, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to Case MMR 010202
Disproportionate prison sentence
Geneva, March 21st, 2002
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Burma (Myanmar).
New information:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission HK of the sentencing to seven years imprisonment of 74-year old Dr. Salai Tun Than on February 8th, 2002, in Burma.
According to the information received, on February 8th, 2002 Dr. Salai Tun Than was sentenced to seven years imprisonment under Article 5(J) of the 1950 State Emergency Act, by an internal tribunal at Insein Prison. After he received his sentence, members of his family were allowed to visit him. Mr. Tun Than had been held incommunicado since his arrest on November 29th, 2001. In February, 2002, he met the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Maynmar, Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro. Mr. Tun Than is suffering from a serious eye condition, and he requires an operation as a result of this within the next six months.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Salai Tan Than, due to his age and medical condition, and fears that he may be subjected to ill-treatment and torture due to the historical precedent of the treatment of political activists in Burmese prisons. Furthermore, OMCT condemns the government’s continuing use of arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention of political activists in order to silence their public opposition to the military dictatorship.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, Dr. Than, a retired rector of the Yezin University in Pyinmana (Upper Burma), was arrested in late November while handing out copies of a petition that called on the military regime to return power to civilian rule. Dr. Than, who is not affiliated with any political movement, was petitioning the government in his own name. In essence, Dr. Than’s petition called on the military regime to hold multiparty elections within a year.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Burma urging them to:
· take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Salai Tun Than;
· intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure that the adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency Dr. Salai Tun Than;
· order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
· guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and Development Council, Office of the Prime Minister, Yangon, Myanmar
· Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, Secretary 1, State Peace and Development Council, C/o Ministry of Defense, Signal Pagoda Road, Yangon, Union of Myanmar, Fax: 00 95 1 222 950
· U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yangon, Myanmar, Email: mofa.aung@mptmail.net.mm
Please also write to the embassies of Burma in your respective country.
Geneva, March 21st, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.