HRC28, Item 4 : Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Burma/Myanmar, Ms. Yanghee Lee

8th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Oral Statement Delivered by Khin Ohmar on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) […]

Statement by Ms Yanghee Lee, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar at the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council 

I thank you for this opportunity to address the Human Rights Council for the first time, at a pivotal time in the reform process in Myanmar.

Advance Unedited Version: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee LEE

Since 2011, Myanmar has undergone far-reaching changes that have affected many aspects of life in the country. However, there continue to be signs of backtracking by the Government and increasing concerns over discrimination and ethnic conflict […]

Amnesty International Annual Report – Myanmar Chapter

Despite ongoing political, legal and economic reforms, progress on human rights stalled, with some backward steps in key areas. The situation of the Rohingya deteriorated, with ongoing discrimination in law and practice exacerbated by a dire humanitarian situation. Anti-Muslim violence persisted, with the authorities failing to hold suspected perpetrators to account. Reports of abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law in areas of armed conflict persisted. Freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly remained severely restricted, with scores of human rights defenders, journalists and political activists arrested and imprisoned. Impunity persisted for past crimes […]

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) and Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) Documentation Project Interim Report: February 2015

To date, government efforts to assist former political prisoners (FPPs) to acclimatize and reintegrate into society have been largely nonexistent in Burma. The effects of this inaction have, and continue to be hugely detrimental for the FPPs, their families, and for transitional justice efforts in the country. This inaction has become even more pressing since the government of Burma began releasing hundreds of political prisoners1 in a wave of amnesties following the 2011 political reforms […]

Joint letter on the Establishment of the Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee

One month after the announcement of the reconstitution of the Committee for Scrutinizing the Remaining Prisoners of Conscience into the Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee we are writing to you to outline our concerns, expectations and recommendations for the new Committee […]

WORLD REPORT 2015

Burma

The reform process in Burma experienced significant slowdowns and in some cases reversals of basic freedoms and democratic progress in 2014. The government continued to pass laws with significant human rights limitations, failed to address calls for constitutional reform ahead of the 2015 elections, and increased arrests of peaceful critics, including land protesters and journalists […]

Two New Briefers: The State of Burma’s Peace Process and Shrinking Space for Civil Society in Burma

Burma Partnership has produced two new briefing papers in connection with Burma-related advocacy at the current 69th session of the UN General Assembly […]

Political Prisoner Watch (Burma) – June 2013

During the month of June, many activists were charged and sent to jail under Section 505 of Burma’s Penal Code and under Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. An emerging trend is the nation-wide cases of “protest plows.” Landless farmers have been contesting land confiscations by plowing and reharvesting their formally held […]

Burma’s Forgotten Political Prisoners

This briefing paper contains case studies of 6 political prisoners who were arbitrarily arrested by the military-backed government in Burma. It also looks at how the review committee for political prisoners set up by the Burmese government is flawed, highlights the continued existence of almost all repressive laws, and how the release of political prisoners has been tactically used by the Burmese government to persuade […]