Some of Britain’s most distinguished actors and writers have added their names to a global petition for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all Burma’s political prisoners. The petition calls on United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to make securing the release of the prisoners a top priority.
Yesterday, Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned in Burma’s notorious Insein jail. She will face a trial on Monday for breaking the terms of her house arrest, after an American entered her home and refused to leave.
Ben Kingsley, Joanna Lumley, Diana Rigg, Zoe Wanamaker, Juliet Stevenson, Tony Robinson, Phillip Pullman, Monica Ali and Joanna Trollope are among 30 famous people to back the Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now! campaign. The campaign is being organised by former political prisoners.
“The world is horrified by the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and more than 2,000 other political prisoners,” said Zoya Phan, International Coordinator at Burma Campaign UK. “Ban Ki Moon must take action, not just sit behind a desk in New York issuing statements of concern.”
More than three-hundred thousand people have signed the petition calling for UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to secure the release of Burma’s political prisoners.
A new report – Silent Killing Fields – published this week by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, has exposed the systematic denial of medical care for political prisoners. Last week Aung San Suu Kyi, who is ill and under arrest, was denied medical care after her doctor was arrested. Although her doctor’s assistant was allowed to visit her, her doctor remains in jail, with no explanation from the dictatorship as to why he has been arrested.
The petition can be signed online at:http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/fbppn.htm
Full list of those supporting the campaign:
Ben Kingsley
Joanna Lumley
Ian McKellan
Jo Brand
Zoe Wanamaker
Victoria Wood
Diana Rigg
Tony Robinson
Juliet Stevenson
Tom Stoppard
Monica Ali
Iain Banks
Charles Dance
Terry Gilliam
Ben Fogle
Sandy Gall
David Hare
Nicholas Hytner
Miriam Karlin
John O’Farrell
Philip Pullman
Rose Tremain
Joanna Trollope
Sarah Waters
Selina Scott
Sharon Davies
Nicole Farhi
Tim Sebastian
Jane Asher
Maureen Lipman
John Pilger
Al Murray
For more information contact Zoya Phan, International Coordinator on +44 (0)207 324 4710
Click here for more information about Aung San Suu Kyi
Click here for more information on political prisoners in Burma.