June JULY CHRONOLOGY 2018 Summary of the Protestors detained for protesting the creation of a cement Factory in Pyigyidagun Township in Mandalay Region Current Situation: 275 individuals are oppressed in Burma due to political activity: 33 political prisoners are serving sentences, are awaiting trial inside 53 prison, Accessed July 2018 ©Irrawady 189 are awaiting trial outside prison. WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK JULY 2018 1 ACRONYMS ABFSU All Burma Federation of Student Unions CAT Conservation Alliance Tanawthari CNPC China National Petroleum Corporation EAO Ethnic Armed Organization GEF Global Environment Facility ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDP Internally Displaced Person KHRG Karen Human Rights Group KIA Kachin Independence Army KNU Karen National Union MFU Myanmar Farmers’ Union MNHRC Myanmar National Human Rights Commission MOGE Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise NLD National League for Democracy NNC Naga National Council PAPPL Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law RCSS Restoration Council of Shan State RCSS/SSA Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army – South SHRF Shan Human Rights Foundation TNLA Ta’ang National Liberation Army YUSU Yangon University Students’ Union 2 JULY 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS POLITICAL PRISONERS .................................................................. 4 CHARGES ............................................................................................................................................ 4 ARRESTS ............................................................................................................................................ 5 TRIALS ................................................................................................................................................ 5 SENTENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 6 CONDITIONS OF IMPRISONMENT .......................................................................................... 7 RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS ............... 9 LAND RIGHTS................................................................................................................................ 13 REFERENCES ...................................................................................17 3 JULY 2018 POLITICAL PRISONERS protesters had submitted a request on July CHARGES 22 to stage a protest from Patheingyi, Mandalay Division to Nay Pyi Taw, which Karenni Youth Activists Sued for Aung had been approved by authorities. They San Statue Protest in Loikaw were later informed that five of them, Shwe On July 3, about 1,000 Karenni locals Ohn, Win Zaw Latt, Nyein Htay, Win Mar marched against plans to erect a statue of Than and Yin Yin Aung, are being sued General Aung San in Loikaw. During the under Article 19 of PAPPL. Than Paing, Daw demonstration, residents distributed Aye, Mya Mya, Min Naing, Maung Ko, Thar pamphlets outlining their protest against Htay and Nyein Htay, seven other the plan to erect the statue. After the protesters, also had charges brought protest, the state’s chief minister met with against them under Section 22 of the Roads the statue’s opponents and agreed to and Bridges Law. postpone the project. He ordered local The Aung Thabyay village administrator, officials to survey their constituents on Kyaw Myo Oo, was also reportedly sacked whether they were in support of the statue from his position for standing with the and said he would make a final decision on villagers in protest against the cement whether to proceed at the end of the month. factory. Despite the reprieve, 23 Karenni youth Locals say the factory, which is owned by activists were later sued in connection with China’s Myint Investment Company, will be their protests against the statue and for powered by coal and fear the damage it distributing pamphlets that explained the might do to the local environment and their history of Karenni State. 16 of the youth livelihoods. They say the project has already activists who organized the protest were blocked off some communal grazing land then sued by under Sections 19 and 20 of and that most locals want it stopped. PAPPL, according to a police letter posted online. Ten were sued under Section 505 (b) MP and Education Officer File Lawsuit and (c) of the Penal Code for allegedly Against Each Other under Section 66 (d) defaming the Government Seven of the ten On July 21, Shwegyin Township, Bago were later released on 3 million kyat (USD Division, Regional Parliament MP Hla Hla $2,071.11) bail each by a court in Loikaw, Win, and Shwegyin Township Education which set the next hearing in the case for Director, Soe Thein, filed lawsuits against July 12. Four people were charged under each other under Section 66 (d) of the Section 505 (b) only of the Penal Code. Telecommunications Law. Activists stated that they will halt the On July 12, Hla Hla Win posted on Facebook protests in the meantime but will continue about education staffs’ salaries being cut if plans for the statue proceed. due to corruption. Soe Thein took a screenshot of Hla Hla Win’s post and posted Villagers Charged in Mandalay for on his Facebook; “saying things that are Protesting against Cement Factory untruthful can lead to charges under On July 24, villagers in Aung Thabyay Section 500 of Defamation”. village, Pyigyidagun Township were Hla Hla Win said she filed a lawsuit against allegedly blocked by police on their way to Soe Thein taking the screenshot of her post, Nay Pyi Taw to protest the construction of a which was simply written, and then cement factory in their community. The threatening her. That evening, Soe Thein 4 JULY 2018 filed a lawsuit against her under the same to security deployments in Arakan State. On law. the same day, numerous international advocacy organizations released ARRESTS statements calling for the charges to be dropped. The upcoming hearings will involve the court hearing from six defense Seven People Arrested for Allegedly witnesses. Working as EAO Guides In the journalists’ first time testifying in according to activist San Aung Myo, seven court on July 16, Wa Lone said that during people were arrested by the Military for the police interrogation, officers tried to allegedly working as guides and porters in induce him and Kyaw Soe Oo not to publish Hpakant and Namati, Kachin State. Three of their investigation into a Military-led the men, from Saitaung and Labankahtaung, massacre in Inn Din village, Arakan State. were arrested on July 15. Another two Officers told the reporters that if Reuters residents were arrested on July 18. Two declined to publish their investigation, they residents from Namati were also arrested could negotiate their early release. The on July 26. report was published on February 8. Wa Lone said that, in two video-recorded Facebook User Charged for Post on meetings in Insein Prison held separately Parliament’s Visit with him and with Kyaw Soe Oo, “they made On July 10, Kaung Htet Zin wrote on us read the Reuters report and asked us to Facebook that students and teachers should sign to certify the accuracy of the report.” not be forced to welcome the Parliament on Wa Lone also stated that the report was its visit to Kwin Kalay village, Myaungmya 80% complete when they met with police Township, Irrawaddy Division. He was officers in the restaurant where they were charged under Section 66 (d) of the arrested, and that they had arranged the Telecommunications Law. meeting to give Government officials a Teachers, students and community chance to respond to their findings. He said organizations welcomed the Myaungmya that the reporters were then framed by Township MP, Mann Htun Kyaing, the police who handed them papers without regional MP, Khaing Zin Oo, and other MPs. asking. The officers then left abruptly, and Sat Ka posted photos to record the trip on the two reporters were arrested upon Facebook, which Kaung Htet Zin then leaving the restaurant before police even allegedly shared on his own account and looked at the documents, Wa Lone told the criticised students being made to fold their court. hands and welcome MPs. On July 30, Kyaw Soe Oo told the court that A member of the NLD said that they asked the information in documents police say him to delete the post but he refused to do were found on his mobile phone was it, so a resident, Pyue, sued him. already public, and that he does not know how the documents got on to his phone. TRIAL Delay in Case against Four Protesters Updates in Reuters Reporters Case Four protest leaders, Wunna Saw, Tin On July 9, a judge accepted charges brought Hlaing, Myo Lwin and Shwe Tun, have had against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo under the their case delayed as the prosecution Official Secrets Act for allegedly holding witness failed to attend court. They are classified Government documents relating facing charges under Section 19 of PAPPL for allegedly protesting against MOGE and 5 JULY 2018 CNPC on April 25 without permission from under the title, ‘Who is responsible for the authorities. Residents are demanding Mrauk U Murder?’ alongside a video of the compensation for land and crops damaged meeting with the Arakan State Government. by the companies. On July 20, they will He is facing charges under Section 66 (d) of attend their next hearing. the Telecommunications Law and Section 10 of the Law Protecting the Privacy and Case of Students Sentenced for Anti-War Security of Citizens. 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