Nine Burmese democracy activists sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court on Wednesday were moved to a new prison, Ma Ahu Pin, this morning.
The new prison is 4-5 hours journey from Rangoon, making it harder for families to visit the prisoners. Families were only informed after the move had happened.
The nine prisoners are all members of the 88 Generation Students group, and are on trial for their alleged role in last year’s peaceful democracy uprising. In all 34 members of the 88 Generation Students are facing around 21 charges each.
On Wednesday 29th October nine of the defendants were convicted of contempt of court, after protesting the conditions of their trial, which breaks the regimes own laws. The nine are Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho (a.k.a. Htay Win Aung), Htay Kywe, Mya Aye, Hla Myo Naung, Nyan Lin, Aung Thu and Myo Aung.
The regime in Burma is notorious for its policy of systematically trying to break the spirit of political prisoners. Use of torture is well-documented. 88 Generation political prisoners have also been refused medical treatment, families have been banned from bringing in food and other supplies, including medicines, when they visit the prisoners, and two weeks ago on Min Ko Naing’s birthday the regime even moved the 88 Generation prisoners to separate cells blocks so that he would be alone on the day. The move to the new prison further from Rangoon, which will take longer and more money to get to, is designed to make it harder for them to receive family visits.
“This is another example of how the regime is trying to break the spirit of anyone who tries to resist their rule,” said Wai Hnin, political prisoners Campaigner at Burma Campaign UK, and daughter of Mya Aye, one of those who has been moved this morning. “My father and the other defendants have committed no crime. They just want freedom for their people. The United Nations Security Council and European Union warned the regime not to detain democracy activists. The regime ignored them. Why aren’t the Security Council or EU taking any action? They don’t even speak out, let alone take any action. Ban Ki-moon must commit himself to working for the release of all political prisoners as the minimum benchmark for progress for his visit to Burma in December.”