AAPP report on Political Prisoners May 2014
Although the Burmese government maintains that no political prisoners remain in Burma, AAPP’s numbers have been steadily increasing since the end of 2013. At the end of May, there was exactly sixty confirmed political prisoners, with another eighty-seven awaiting trial.
The Committee for Scrutinizing the Remaining Political Prisoners has continued to face institutional barriers that inhibit its effective operation. The difficulties faced by the committee, in addition to the government’s official position that no prisoners remain, indicates that we have yet to see sufficient governmental reform to address the ongoing political incarcerations.
This month, AAPP has recorded nine arrests, ranging from political party activists to land-rights protestors. Twenty-six political activists were sentenced this month. The number of farmers that continue to be arrested is also of great concern, as the ongoing problem of land grabs in Burma continues.
Assistant Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)