Free All Human Rights Defenders and Stop Ongoing Arbitrary Arrests

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an FIDH-OMCT joint programme, welcomes the latest release of human rights defenders who were among the political prisoners detained in Burma/Myanmar, and now urges the Government to immediately and unconditionally release all those who remain detained and to stop ongoing arbitrary arrests and imprisonment […]

Political Prisoners Continue to Be Used as a PR Tool by Thein Sein

Today Burma Campaign UK welcomed the news that 69 political prisoners have been released but expressed concerns that, once again, the release of political prisoners is cynically timed with the visits of high profile international delegations.

Activists Aung Soe and Naw Ohn Hla were among the released prisoners, and their cases were highlighted in our No Political Prisoner Left Behind campaign in March and August 2013 […]

Burma: Sentencing of Human Rights Defenders Messrs U Aung Soe, U Maung San and Ko Soe Thu

On 8 July 2013, human rights defenders Messrs U Aung Soe, U Maung San and Ko Soe Thu were handed additional sentences increasing their prison terms to 11 years and six months in the case of U Aung Soe, and to two years and six months in the case of U Maung San and Ko Soe Thu. U Aung Soe is a member of the Yangon People’s Support Network. All three are human rights defenders who were arrested in the context of their peaceful opposition to a copper mine and human rights violations connected to its operation […]

Upper Burma Court Sentences Three Human Rights Defenders to Long-Term Imprisonment; Guards Intimidate Lawyer

On 8 July, Shwebo Township court handed out additional sentences to U Aung Soe, U Maung San and Ko Soe Thu, increasing their prison terms to respectively 11 years and six months and two years and six months. The three human rights defenders were previously detained, held incommunicado and sentenced in unfair trials for their opposition to the Letpadaung Copper Mine […]

Activist Jailed For Ploughing On Confiscated Land – Free Aung Soe!

Burma Campaign UK today strongly urged Hugo Swire MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to repeal all repressive laws and release all remaining political prisoners immediately.

Regardless of the changes in Burma, almost all the repressive laws which enabled the jailing of political prisoners still remain in place. The unconditional release of all political prisoners is an essential step towards genuine democracy and freedom in Burma […]