APRIL CHRONOLOGY 2016 Summary of the Current Situation: There are 64 political prisoners incarcerated in Burma. 138 activists are currently awaiting trial for political actions, 43 of whom are incarcerated. Picture from Irrawaddy © 2016 Accessed April 29, 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS MONTH IN REVIEW ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 ARBITRARY DETENTIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 2 SENTENCES .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 RELEASES .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 DEMONSTRATIONS & RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL & CIVIL LIBERTIES ............................................. 6 LAND ISSUES ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7 RELATED HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS .............................................................................................................................. 8 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9 MONTH IN REVIEW This month, 235 political activists were released Contrary to the expectations of the international following a series of presidential amnesties, two community, U Gambira, one of the leaders of the 2007 political activists were arrested in total, and 16 Saffron Revolution, received a sentence of six months’ individuals were sentenced. Three political prisoners imprisonment with hard labor. He was charged under are reported to be in bad health. Also this month, 25 Section 13. (1) of the Immigration (Emergency activists were charged, of which 12 were farmers. Provisions) Act for illegally crossing the border to Thailand where he intended to receive medical The new NLD government led by President Htin Kyaw treatment for his mental health problems related to took office on April 1. On April 6 the new government his former imprisonment and torture. Human rights created the role of State Counselor, assumed by Aung groups such as Amnesty International and Human San Suu Kyi. Her first act was to release a statement Rights Watch called the sentencing politically on April 7 announcing the government’s intention to motivated. release political prisoners, political activists, students and supporters who are facing trial because of their political activities, as a first priority. A series of releases of political prisoners followed this announcement. On April 8, the government announced that they had dropped charges against 199 political prisoners under Section 494 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. AAPP has been able to confirm 115 of these. All of the 115 were facing trial, but had not yet been sentenced, for various offences including the National Education Bill protests, labor rights protests, and protests against the military’s 25% seat share in Parliament. On April 17, the President announced a pardon of 83 political prisoners under Section 401. (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. AAPP has verified 70 of these releases. A further 48 political activists had charges against them dropped before the end of the month. Despite the amnesties this month, courts in Burma continued to hand down sentences under Section 17 of the Unlawful Association Act. A total of 13 Arakanese youth were sentenced this month for alleged Arakan Army (AA) connections, while three of them were released as part of the presidential amnesty on April 17. They received sentences ranging from three to five years. Also sentenced under the Unlawful Association Act this month were the interfaith activists, Zaw Zaw Latt and Pwint Phyu Latt, who received an additional two years in prison with labor on top of their existing 2 year sentence. 1 Page April Chronology 2016 ARBITRARY DETENTIONS Police Detain Solo Protester On April 1, Tun Myint Soe, a solo protester, was detained by police in Kyaukpyu Township for staging a protest calling for the release of Maung Aye, the chairman of the Rural Development Association. On April 1, the day of Maung Aye’s court hearing, Tun Myint Soe, from YwarThitYwar in LakeKhaMaw village tract, Kyaukpyu Township, marched from the clock tower to the court and then to the police station holding a poster saying “release Maung Aye who is working for the Arakan people, was not related with any politics and was not related with the Arakan Army.” (1 April 2016 • Narinjara/Burmese) 2 Page April Chronology 2016 SENTENCES U Gambira Sentenced to Six Months Arakan Youth Bo Than Sentenced On April 7, Bo Than was sentenced to five years in On April 26, leader of the 2007 Saffron Revolution, U prison for unlawful association with the outlawed Gambira was sentenced to six months in prison with Arakan Army (AA) by the Kyauktaw township. He had hard labor. With time served, he will spend a further been held at Kyauktaw police station since his arrest three months in prison. He was arrested on January on January 28. He was sentenced to three years of 19 under Section 13. (1) of the Immigration imprisonment under Section 17. (1) of the Unlawful (Emergency Provisions) Act after crossing the border Association Act and five years of imprisonment under from Thailand five days earlier. Human rights groups Section 17. (2) of the same Act, and will serve these such as Amnesty International and Human Rights sentences concurrently. Watch have condemned the sentencing declaring that his charges are politically motivated. U Gambira is (8 April 2016 - Narinjara/Burmese) (10 April 2016 - suffering from organic brain syndrome and other Narinjara) mental health issues including PTSD relating to his imprisonment and torture under the military regime. Six Arakanese Convicted (26 April 2016 - RFA/Burmese) (26 April 2016 - On April 6, Oo Ba Maung, Maung Kyaw Thein, Maung DVB/Burmese) (26 April 2016 - BBC/Burmese) (26 Than Wai, Tun Tun Win, Tun Soe Naing, and Soe April 2016 - Irrawaddy/Burmese) (26 April 2016- Naing were sentenced to five years of imprisonment VOA) (26 April 2016 - DVB) (27 April 2016- by the Kyauktaw Township court in Arakan State. Irrawaddy) (27 April 2016-Myanmar Times) (27 April According to their lawyer, Tun Hla, the six convicted 2016 - VOA/Burmese) individuals confessed to having involvement with the Arakan Army (AA). (6 April 2016 - Narinjara/Burmese) (8 April 2016 - Muslim Interfaith Activists Sentenced to Two Narinjara) More Years in Prison On April 8, Zaw Zaw Latt and Pwint Phyu Latt were Six Youths Sentenced for Arakan Army (AA) sentenced to an additional two years in prison with Ties labor under Section 17. (1) of the Unlawful Association On April 4, six men who had been detained since April Act by Mandalay‘s Chanayethazan township court. 2015 confessed to being members of the AA. Maung They have been detained by local police since July Shwe Thein, Nyi Nyi Hlaing and Zaw Myo Aung were 2015 for sharing photos on social media that suggest sentenced to five years in prison under Section 17. (2) a connection to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). of the Unlawful Association Act by the Kyauktaw The pictures show a visit to Kachin State in 2013 and Township Court. San Aye Maung, Maung Shwe Lone to Mizoram State in 2014 and in one of the pictures and San Maung Thar were sentenced to three years of Zaw Zaw Latt can be seen holding a M16 rifle in a imprisonment under Section 17. (1) of the Unlawful displaced persons camp in Kachin State. Association Act. All of them were brought to Sittwe The pair are already serving a 2 year sentence under Prison to serve their sentences. San Aye Maung, Section 13. (1) of the Immigration (Emergency Maung Shwe Lone and San Maung Thar were released Provisions) Act for crossing the India-Burma border as part of the presidential pardon on April 17 (see illegally in 2014. below for details). (8 April 2016 - Irrawaddy) (8 April 2016 - (4 April 2016 - DVB/Burmese) (4 April 2016 - RFA/Burmese) (8 April 2016 - Mizzima/Burmese) Irrawaddy/Burmese) (4 April 2016 - Narinjara/Burmese) (April 5 2016 - Narinjara) (April 18 2016 - Narinjara) (8 April 2016 - Mizzima) (17 April 2016 - BBC/Burmese) (17 April 2016 - Mizzima/Burmese) 3 Page April Chronology 2016 RELEASES More Charges Dropped as Part of Amnesties Among the released were the Unity Five, sentenced Another 48 political prisoners had charges against to 10 years’ hard labor in 2014 for reporting on an them dropped as part of an amnesty under Section alleged military chemical weapons factory. The 494 of the Code of Criminal Procedure at the end of pardon also included Htin Lin Oo, a writer and April, bringing the total number of amnesties granted former NLD information officer, and Htin Kyaw, a under Section 494 of the Code of Criminal Procedure well-known democracy activist who spent more than in April to 163. a decade in and out of prison. Notably, NeLynn Dwe and Chit Ko, the former air force captains arrested On April 21, 21 political activists had charges dropped for publishing a blog describing life in the army, and against them. This included Zaw Win, and the two Thura Kyaw