Burma/Myanmar’s Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee Needs Urgent Reform

On the eve of the first anniversary of the death of U Win Tin, 20 organisations today call for urgent reform of Burma/Myanmar’s Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee […]

Call for Support – U Win Tin Blue Shirt Day for political prisoners in Burma/Myanmar on April 21st 2015

We, the undersigned 17 organisations, are calling on people worldwide to wear a blue shirt or blue clothing on Tuesday April 21st, the first anniversary of the death of U Win Tin, in support of political prisoners still in jail in Burma/Myanmar […]

Amnesty International Oral Statement on Myanmar to the 28th session of the Human Rights Council

Amnesty International has submitted two written statements on Myanmar to this Council’s session , one of which focuses on extractive industries […]

Myanmar: Free Prisoners of Conscience in Rakhine State End Ongoing Persecution of Rohingya

(SITTWE—March 14, 2015) The government of Myanmar should immediately and unconditionally release a group of five Rohingya prisoners of conscience being held in Sittwe prison, Rakhine State, Fortify Rights said today. The group includes three prominent Rohingya community leaders imprisoned earlier this week […]

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 […]

Statement No. (3/2015) The Visit to Insein Central Prison

1. A team from the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, comprising of Commission Members U Zaw Win, U Yu Lwin Aung, Dr Nyan Zaw and Dr Daw Than Nwe, accompanied by the staff of the Commission visited the Insein Central Prison in Yangon Region on the 17 and 18 of February 2015. The visit was made under Sections 43, 44 and 45 of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Law. The team divided into four groups and inspected the prison as follows […]

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 […]

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 […]

Burma: Rights Heading in Wrong Direction

(Bangkok, January 29, 2015) – Burma’s human rights situation declined in 2014, setting back progress made since the reform process began three years ago, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2015. Donors and influential governments have done little to pressure the army and government to keep reforms on track.