Write to Political Prisoners in Jail
Since the military coup on 1 February 2021, thousands of people have been arrested and remain political prisoners in Burma’s jails. Many political prisoners are young people who courageously stood up against the military coup.
Letters are the one of the few ways for political prisoners to stay connected with the outside world, and greatly encourage those living in harsh prison conditions. Former political prisoners always mention how encouraged they were to know that they had not been forgotten by the world when they received letters from different countries.
Please write to Burma’s political prisoners, telling them their struggle has not been forgotten. You can send a letter, poem, prayer, or postcard.
Some prisons have been returning letters. Let us know if you have a letter returned by emailing us at info@burmacampaign.org.uk so we can keep this list up to date.
Activists
Wai Moe Naing
Wai Moe Naing is a writer and a prominent anti-coup protest leader. He was arrested in April 2021 for leading peaceful protests in Monywa, Sagaing Region. He was beaten and dragged away by military forces after his motorcycle was rammed by an unmarked police car during an anti-coup rally.
After his arrest, he was tortured and interrogated in a detention centre. He has faced multiple charges, including treason, alleged murder, incitement, and unlawful association. He was forced to represent himself in court because the military also arrested his lawyers as part of their crackdown on lawyers defending political activists.
He was initially sentenced to 34 years imprisonment. In May 2023 he was sentenced to a further 20 years for high treason, bringing his total sentence to 54 years.
In May 2024 he was sentenced to a further 20 years and is now serving a sentence of 74 years in prison.
He is currently serving his prison sentence in Monywa Prison.
Wai Moe Naing
C/O The Governor of Monywa Prison
Monywa Prison
Monywa
Sagaing Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Justin Min Hein
Justin Min Hein (aka) Hein Min Tun is a chairman of the LGBT Union Mandalay. He is a prominent young leader who has campaigned for LGBT rights in Burma.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he organised and participated in peaceful protests while moving from one safe house to another to escape arrest. Justin Min Hein and other activists coordinated and organised creative-style peaceful protests in Rangoon and Mandalay region.
He was arrested in September 2022 in Rangoon. After his arrest, he was held in an unknown detention centre for three months, where he was beaten and interrogated. He was also denied food and water for a month during that period. He was charged under the Counter – Terrorism Law and for incitement.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June 2023. He is currently serving his prison sentence in Insein Prison.
Justin Min Hein (aka) Hein Min Tun
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Nu Nu Aung, Khet Khet Aung and Myat Thu
Nu Nu Aung, Khet Khet Aung and Myat Thu are members of 88 Generation Peace and Open Society in Burma. 88 Generation Peace and Open Society is a political organisation and was formed by student leaders who led the 1988 uprising.
Nu Nu Aung and Khet Khet Aung both participated in the 1988 uprising and have been working to bring democracy and freedom to Burma for over three decades. Myat Thu is a youth member of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, Nu Nu Aung, Khet Khet Aung and Myat Thu went into hiding to escape arrest and participated in peaceful protests. They were also volunteering and helping people in a camp for internally displaced people in Karen State.
They were arrested in April 2022 after they visited a clinic in Hpa-An Township in Karen State to seek medical attention. They were charged under the counter-terrorism law and sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2022.
They are currently serving their prison sentences in Kyaikmaraw Prison in Karen State.
Nu Nu Aung
C/O The Governor of Kyaikmaraw Prison
Kyaikmaraw Prison
Karen State
Myanmar (Burma)
Khet Khet Aung
C/O The Governor of Kyaikmaraw Prison
Kyaikmaraw Prison
Karen State
Myanmar (Burma)
Myat Thu
C/O The Governor of Kyaikmaraw Prison
Kyaikmaraw Prison
Karen State
Myanmar (Burma)
James (aka) Lin Htet Naing
James (aka) Lin Htet Naing is a prominent student leader and a former political prisoner. He is also a former vice president of the All Burma Federation of Student Union (ABFSU).
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he went into hiding to escape arrest and continued organising anti-coup activities. The military issued a warrant for him under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code, accusing him of incitement.
He was arrested in June 2022 and charged under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code and the Counter-Terrorism Law. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison and is currently serving his prison sentence in Insein Prison.
James’s mother was killed in October 2022 in a bomb blast at the prison’s parcel drop-off office while delivering food for her detained son. The military denied his request to attend her funeral.
Lin Htet Naing (aka) James
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Politicians
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi was the State Counsellor and democratically elected leader of Burma until the military’s attempted coup in February 2021.
Since 1 February 2021, she was on trial for over 18 months on 19 charges, including electoral fraud, anti-corruption, sedition, treason, under the Natural Disaster Management Law for allegedly breaking Covid safety rules, and under the Export and Import Law for illegally importing walkie-talkies.
After the verdict in her last trial in December 2022, she must now serve a total of 33 years in jail. She is currently serving her prison sentence in Naypyitaw Prison.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
C/O The Governor of Naypyitaw Prison
Naypyitaw Prison
Naypyitaw
Myanmar (Burma)
President Win Myint
Win Myint was the democratically elected leader and tenth president of Burma until the military’s attempted coup in February 2021.
Since 1 February 2021, he faced a series of politically motivated charges, including electoral fraud, anti-corruption, and sedition.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and is currently being detained in Taungoo Prison.
U Win Myint
C/O The Governor of Taungoo Prison
Taungoo Prison
Taungoo
Bago Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Dr Myint Naing
Dr Myint Naing was the Chief Minister of Sagaing Region under the civilian government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD). He was also a Central Executive Committee member of the NLD party.
He was one of many politicians to be detained by the Burmese military on the first day of the attempted coup, 1 February 2021. He was charged with ten different counts, seven of which were related to corruption.
In July 2022, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and is currently serving his prison sentence in Myingyan Prison.
Dr Myint Naing
C/O The Governor of Myingyan Prison
Myingyan Prison
Myingyan
Myanmar (Burma)
Dr Linn Htut
Dr Linn Htut was the Shan State Chief Minister under the civilian government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD).
He was one of many politicians to be detained by the Burmese military on the first day of the attempted coup in February 2021. After his detention, he faced a series of charges against him, including charges relating to electoral fraud and corruption.
In January 2022, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison with hard labour and is currently serving his prison sentence in Nyaung Shwe Prison.
Dr Linn Htut
C/O The Governor of Nyaung Shwe Prison
Nyaung Shwe Prison
Nyaung Shwe
Shan State
Myanmar (Burma)
Soe Nyunt Lwin
Soe Nyunt Lwin was the Shan State Former Finance and Planning Minister under the civilian government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD).
He was detained on the first day of the attempted coup on 1 February 2021 but was later released as the military did not consider him a huge risk. However, he was re-arrested in March 2021 for inciting against the military and encouraging people to participate in anti-coup activities. He was charged with incitement and corruption.
He was sentenced to 54 years in prison and is currently serving his prison sentence in Insein Prison.
U Soe Nyunt Lwin
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Nang Khin Htwe Myint
Nang Khin Htwe Myint was the Karen State Chief Minister under the civilian government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD). She is also on the Central Executive Committee of the NLD party.
She was one of many politicians detained by the Burmese military on the first day of the attempted coup in February 2021. After her detention, she faced a series of charges against her, including corruption and incitement. She particularly angered the military by urging soldiers to take the side of the public after the attempted coup.
After a series of trials, she was sentenced to 80 years in prison in December 2021 and she was not allowed to have legal counsel. In February 2022, her sentence was reduced to 40 years after a partial pardon.
She is currently serving her prison sentence in Hpa- an Prison in Karen State.
Daw Nang Khin Htwe Myint
C/O The Governor of Hpa- an Prison
Hpa- an Prison
Karen State
Myanmar (Burma)
Lawyers
Ywat Nu Aung
Ywat Nu Aung is a prominent lawyer and a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she represented many political detainees, including many high-profile NLD figures detained by the military.
Since trials are being held inside prisons, lawyers have to go inside prisons to represent their clients, knowing the risk that they might also be arrested. In April 2022, Ywat Nu Aung was arrested while representing one of her clients at a court hearing inside Obo Prison in Mandalay.
Many believe the military arrested her because she was defending high-profile political detainees. She was charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law for allegedly donating money to the People’s Defence Forces (PDF). PDF is an armed resistance movement formed by youths and activists in response to the attempted coup, and the military designated it as a terrorist group.
In December 2022, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison and is now serving her sentence in Obo Prison.
Daw Ywat Nu Aung
C/O The governor of Obo Prison
Obo Prison
Mandalay
Myanmar (Burma)
Tin Win Aung
Tin Win Aung is a lawyer from Mandalay who have represented many political detainees since the attempted coup in February 2021. Tin Win Aung represented many well-known cases, including a prominent Monywa protest leader, Wai Moe Naing.
Since trials are being held inside prisons, lawyers have to go inside prisons to represent their clients, knowing the risk that they might also be arrested. In June 2022, Tin Win Aung, Thuta was arrested inside Obo Prison in Mandalay while representing his clients.
Tin Win Aung suffered multiple injuries in the interrogation that followed his arrest, including a broken arm.
He faced charges relating to incitement and Counter-Terrorism Law, and he was sentenced to 2 years in prison. He is currently serving his prison sentence in Obo Prison in Mandalay.
U Tin Win Aung
C/O The governor of Obo Prison
Obo Prison
Mandalay
Myanmar (Burma)
Civilians and Students
Students on death row: Khant Zin Win,Thura Maung Maung, Khant Linn Maung Maung, Zaw Lin Naing, Thiha Htet Zaw, Hein Htet and Thet Paing Oo
Khant Zin Win, Thura Maung Maung, Khant Linn Maung Maung, Zaw Lin Naing, Thiha Htet Zaw, Hein Htet and Thet Paing Oo are students from Dagon University in Rangoon. They are all under the age of 25.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, they took part in peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. They were arrested in April 2022 and accused of allegedly killing a retired lieutenant colonel.
They were charged with murder and sentenced to death in November 2022.
After family members filed an appeal with the military, their sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.
Thura Maung Maung, Thiha Htet Zaw and Hein Htet are currently serving their prison sentences in Insein Prison.
Khant Zin Win, Zaw Lin Naing, Thet Paing Oo and Khant Linn Maung Maung were transferred to Tharyarwaddy prison.
Thura Maung Maung, Thiha Htet Zaw and Hein Htet
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Khant Zin Win, Zaw Lin Naing, Thet Paing Oo and Khant Linn Maung Maung
C/O The Governor of Tharyarwaddy Prison
Tharyarwady Prison
Bago Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Myat Kyaw Thu
Myat Kyaw Thu is a student from Dawei city in Burma.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. He was arrested in October 2021 and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law and for incitement.
In December 2021, he was sentenced to 29 years in prison. After a year in prison, he faced an additional charge under the Explosive Substances Act and sentenced to 7 more years. The court did not provide an explanation or evidence for this additional charge.
He is currently serving a 36 year prison sentence in Dawei Prison.
Myat Kyaw Thu
C/O The Governor of Dawei Prison
Dawei Prison
Dawei
Tanintharyi Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Soe Pyae Aung
Soe Pyae Aung is a student from Dawei city in Burma.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. He was arrested in September 2021 and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law and for incitement.
In March 2022, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison. He is currently serving his prison sentence in Dawei Prison.
Soe Pyae Aung
C/O The Governor of Dawei Prison
Dawei Prison
Dawei
Tanintharyi Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Aye Nandar Soe
Aye Nander Soe is a student activist and a member of All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU). She was studying to be a teacher at Sagaing University.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she organised and participated in peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. In September 2021, she was arrested at a checkpoint on the Sagaing and Mandalay highway while travelling on a commercial bus.
As of January 2023, she has not been charged and her whereabouts is unknown. Her family and colleagues from ABFSU have no contact with her and they are extremely worried about her life.
Although it is not confirmed by the military, many believe that she has been held in solitary confinement inside Obo Prison in Mandalay.
Sithu Aung Tin
Sithu Aung Tin is a third-year law student from Dagon University and a member of the university’s Law Students Union.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in and organised peaceful protests. He was arrested in September 2021 and charged with incitement and sedition for organising anti-coup activities.
In November 2021, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is currently serving his sentence in Thayet Prison.
Sithu Aung Tin
C/O The Governor of Thayet Prison
Thayet Prison
Magway Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Htoo Wai Lin
Htoo Wai Lin is a student at Dagon University majoring in psychology.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. He was arrested in June 2021 and charged with incitement and sedition.
In September 2021, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison and is currently serving his sentence in Insein Prison in Rangoon.
Htoo Wai Lin
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Wai Yan Phyo Moe
Wai Yan Phyo Moe is a student activist and the vice president of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU). He has been an outspoken activist campaigning for democracy and freedom in Burma for many years.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in and organised peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. He was arrested in March 2021 and charged with incitement and sedition.
In December 2021, he was sentenced to 4 years and one month in prison. He is currently serving his sentence in Insein Prison in Rangoon.
Wai Yan Phyo Moe
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Saung Lay Pyay (aka) Zu Zu
Saung Lay Pyay is a Chemistry student from Dagon University.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she participated in peaceful protests and anti-coup activities. She was arrested in November 2021 and charged with murder for her alleged involvement in the killing of a high-school teacher in Rangoon. She was 19 at the time of her arrest.
In March 2022, she was sentenced to death. After several appeals, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. She is currently serving her sentence in Insein Prison in Rangoon.
Saung Lay Pyay (aka) Zu Zu
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Thinzar Zaw
Thinzar Zaw is a Dagon University student and a member of the university’s Students Union.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she participated in peaceful protests. She was arrested in September 2021 and charged with sedition for organising anti-coup activities.
In November 2021, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is currently serving her sentence in Tharyarwaddy Prison.
Thinzar Zaw
C/O The Governor of Tharyarwaddy Prison
Tharyarwady Prison
Bago Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Teachers
Hein Htet Aung
Hein Htet Aung is a primary school teacher from Kyarinnseikgyi Township in Karen State.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and organised peaceful protests against the military.
Healthcare workers started the CDM movement after the attempted coup, but it was later joined by teachers, nurses, and other professionals throughout the country with a vow that they won’t return to work until democracy is restored.
He was arrested in April 2021 and charged with incitement and other charges under the counter-terrorism law. In March 2022, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison with hard labour.
He is currently serving his prison sentence in Hpa-an Prison in Karen State.
Hein Htet Aung
C/O The Governor of Hpa-an Prison
Hpa-an Prison
Hpa-an
Karen State
Myanmar (Burma)
Thae Su Naing (aka) Ma Ju
Thae Su Naing (aka) Ma Ju is a teacher and a former student union leader. During her university days, she was actively involved in campaigning for students’ rights.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and organised peaceful protests against the military.
Healthcare workers started the CDM movement after the attempted coup, but it was later joined by teachers, nurses, and other professionals throughout the country with a vow that they won’t return to work until democracy is restored.
Thae Su Naing (aka) Ma Ju was arrested in November 2021 and charged under the counter-terrorism law for taking part in the CDM movement.
In August 2022, she was sentenced to 7 years in prison and is currently serving her sentence in Meiktila Prison.
Thae Su Naing (aka) Ma Ju
C/O The Governor of Meiktila Prison
Meiktila Prison
Meiktila
Mandalay Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Soe Thura Kyaw
Soe Thura Kyaw is a student activist and a former chairman of the Yangon University of Education Students’ Union. He is also a teacher and a poet.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and organised peaceful protests against the military. He led education workers to form the Basic Education General Strike Committee (BEGSC).
He was arrested in September 2021 and charged with incitement and other charges under the counter-terrorism law.
In July 2022, he was sentenced to 8 years in prison and is currently serving his sentence in Obo Prison in Mandalay.
Soe Thura Kyaw
C/O The governor of Obo Prison
Obo Prison
Mandalay
Myanmar (Burma)
Journalists
Han Thar Nyein
Han Thar Nyein is a journalist and a co-founder of Kamayut Media.
He was arrested in March 2021 for reporting on anti-coup movement activities and the crackdown on peaceful protesters by the military. After his arrest, he was brutally tortured during an interrogation.
He was charged with incitement and charges under Burma’s Electronic Transactions Law, which penalises acts detrimental to the state’s security.
In December 2022, he was sentenced to 7 years in prison and is currently serving his sentence in Insein Prison.
Han Thar Nyein
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Sithu Aung Myint
Sithu Aung Myint is a journalist and a political columnist. He has written articles critical of the military since the 1988 uprising.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he reported on the situation on the ground and the crackdown on peaceful protesters by the military.
He was arrested in August 2021 and faced several charges, including sedition and incitement. In December 2022, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
He is currently serving his prison sentence in Insein Prison in Rangoon.
Sithu Aung Myint
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Hmu Yadanar Khet Khet Moh Moh Tun
Hmu Yadanar Khet Khet Moh Moh Tun is a video reporter working for the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA).
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she reported on the peaceful protests and human rights violations committed by the security forces.
She was arrested in December 2021 and was badly injured during a forced arrest. She was charged with incitement after her arrest.
In March 2022, she was sentenced to 3 years in prison with hard labour.
In May 2023, she was sentenced to additional 10 years imprisonment with hard labour. She is currently serving her 13 years imprisonment with hard labour in Insein Prison in Rangoon.
Hmu Yadanar Khet Khet Moh Moh Tun
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
Maung Maung Myo (aka) Maung Myo
Maung Maung Myo (aka) Maung Myo is a reporter and a contributor for an independent Mekong News Agency.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, he reported on human rights violations committed by the military. The military banned Mekong News Agency after the attempted coup.
He was arrested in May 2022 while travelling by train to report on armed clashes between the military and People’s Defence Forces (PDF). He was charged with counter-terrorism law for possessing pictures and interviews with members of the PDF and for sharing news reports by Mekong News Agency on his Facebook.
In July 2022, he was sentenced to 6 years in prison and is currently serving his sentence in Hpa-an Prison in Karen State.
Maung Maung Myo (aka) Maung Myo
C/O The Governor of Hpa-an Prison
Hpa-an Prison
Hpa-an
Karen State
Myanmar (Burma)
Myo San Soe
Myo San Soe is a freelance journalist from Pyapon in the Ayeyarwaday region. He has reported for The Ayeyarwaddy, Times, BNI News and Delta News Agency, which were all banned by the military after the attempted coup in February 2021.
Myo San Soe reported on the anti-coup activities and human rights violations committed by the military.
He was arrested in August 2021 and charged under the counter-terrorism law for helping young activists in the region escape arrest and for contacting members of the People’s Defence Forces.
After over a year in pre-trial detention, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2022. He is currently serving his sentence in Pyapon Prison.
Myo San Soe
C/O The Governor of Pyapon Prison
Pyapon Priso
Pyapon
Ayeyarwady Region
Myanmar (Burma)
Htet Htet Khine
Htet Htet Khine is a freelance reporter working with BBC Media Action.
After the attempted coup in February 2021, she reported on peaceful protests and anti-coup activities.
She was arrested in August 2021 and charged with incitement and “illegal association” for her reporting work. After over a year in pre-trial detention, she was sentenced to 6 years in prison in September 2022.
She is currently serving her prison sentence in Insein Prison.
Htet Htet Khine (BBC journalist)
C/O The Governor of Insein Prison
Insein Prison
Yangon
Myanmar (Burma)
There are thousands of political prisoners in jail in Burma. The military continues to arrest and imprison activists, journalists, lawyers, community leaders and civilians, anyone who stands up against the military coup.
Please write to Burma’s political prisoners, telling them their struggle has not been forgotten.
We know that it makes a real difference to them when they receive a letter. It lets them know that they haven’t been forgotten, that people are working for their release, and that there is hope. Addresses for each political prisoner are provided.
Letter writing tips:
- Letters can be as long or as short as you like. Even a half page letter or short note is better than no letter at all!
- Tell them a little bit about yourself, your family, what you do.
- Say something about why you care and are taking the time to write this letter.
- Be encouraging, let them know that you and others will never give up campaigning for their release.
- If you have written to political prisoners before and they have been released, write about it. It will give them hope.
- Include an email address if you have one. When they are released they may be able to contact you.