12 Oct 2011

Burma's political prisoners

Burma has said it is set to release prisoners, apparently including political detainees. More than 2,000 political prisoners – including monks, students, journalists, lawyers, MPs and over 300 members of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy – are incarcerated in horrendous conditions. Former prisoners are photographed with the name of a current political prisoner written on their palm. The photographs are taken from Abhaya - Burma's Fearlessness, by James Mackay.

Khin-Cho-Myint

Khin Cho Myint was involved in the democracy uprisings of 1988 as a first year student and participated in the 1991 10D movement, but went into hiding to avoid arrest. She was arrested in September 1998 for her role in the student demonstrations, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, serving six in Insein and Moulmein prisons before being released in 2004. She is currently living in the Nupo refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border, awaiting resettlement. Myo Min Htike, a student leader, was sentenced to 52 years in prison for distributing leaflets and organising demonstrations during the student uprising of 1998.

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