Brang Yung is a Kachin farmer, who was arrested in June 2012 by the military-backed government in Burma. He was charged under Article 17/1 of the Unlawful Association Act, and he is serving a 21 year prison sentence in Myitkyina Prison.
Please take action for the release of Brang Yung and the remaining political prisoners in Burma.
- Email Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire, urging the UK government to take action to ensure the immediate release of all political prisoners.
- You can also write a letter to Brang Yung to express your solidarity. Please write to:
C/O The Governor of Myitkyina Prison
Myitkyina Prison
Myitkyina
Kachin State
Myanmar
Brang Yung was living in a refugee camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) with his family after fleeing from conflict areas in Northern Burma. To support his family, he requested permission from a camp supervisor to work as a herdsman outside the camp. While taking a lunch break during the trip, he and his friends were taken by the Burmese Army 37th battalion for questioning. At first he was not given any reason for the arrest but later he was accused of being a soldier from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and carrying out bombing operations near Myitkyina. The KIA is the armed wing of the Kachin Independence Organisation, which works for democracy and more autonomy for the Kachin people.
He was brutally tortured and forced to make false confession about his connection with the KIA and different bombings in the area. He was also accused of leaving the refugee camp several times to attend military training sessions with the KIA. According to family members, during the interrogations, he was repeatedly kicked, beaten till his scalp was cut open, forced to drink water mixed with fuel, and his arms were pierced with needles. He was also forced to have sexual intercourse with one other male prisoner.
He was charged under Article 17/1 of the Unlawful Association Act. After more than a year in detention, he was sentenced to 2 years prison sentence in November 2013, and an additional 5 years were added to his sentence on 19th December 2013. An additional 14 years were added again to his sentence on 5th June 2014, and now he is serving a 21 year prison sentence in Myitkyina Prison. Brang Yung’s wife said, “The accusations against him are wrong. My husband is not a KIA solider. Our family is facing difficulties without him.”
Please take action for the release of Brang Yung and the remaining political prisoners in Burma.