(SEAPA/IFEX) – The military junta has released all nine demonstrators arrested for participating in a 22 February 2007 protest against the regime for its failing to address soaring inflation and other issues of the day, the New Delhi-based online daily Mizzima.com reported on 27 February. May Win, Khin May Win, Kyu Kyu San, Htin Kyaw, […]
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The military junta has released all nine demonstrators arrested for participating in a 22 February 2007 protest against the regime for its failing to address soaring inflation and other issues of the day, the New Delhi-based online daily Mizzima.com reported on 27 February.
May Win, Khin May Win, Kyu Kyu San, Htin Kyaw, Hla Myint Aye, Myo Oo, Hla Thein, Tin Win, Ohn Than, and Tun Tun were released from the Aung Tha Pyay detention camp where security personnel had interrogated them for hours.
Before their release, all were forced to sign a paper acknowledging that they would be imprisoned for life should they organise demonstrations without permission or participate in illegal demonstrations.
The ruling military junta has full control of all media outlets, including privately-owned ones, subjecting them to prior censorship and state propaganda, and brooking no dissent. Taboo subjects include: democracy, the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, the prevailing socio-economic crisis and criticisms against the junta. Denied traditional channels of expression, desperate activists and citizens resort to “expressive conduct”, such as holding demonstrations, distributing leaflets and organising petitions, at considerable personal risk as these forms of expression are also heavily suppressed by the junta.
The nine protesters were among a group of about 20 people who took to the streets in a rare demonstration in the authoritarian state. Htin Kyaw and an unidentified person were arrested on 22 February, while seven more were arrested over the weekend of 24 to 25 February.
They were interrogated over who the mastermind was, their financial backers and whether they were aiming to obtain asylum from the United States.
Tun, one of those released, said they were demonstrating “to draw attention to people’s suffering”. He said the authorities had allowed another group to demonstrate in front of the US Embassy in protest of the US-sponsored Security Council resolution on Burma. “We believe we should be allowed (to demonstrate), too,” he said.
