Analysis Contributor Lead Story
Justice in Burma: Wounds on the wall
Veronica Collins argues that a museum run by former political prisoners showcases the lasting impact of state brutality on Burmese society.
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36 political prisoners included in Thingyan presidential amnesty
Two Kachin pastors and a Buddhist abbot jailed for “Unlawful Association” are freed, but Reuters journalists remain behind bars.
Democratising the public space in Burma
Aye Thein argues that the NLD government is taking a sledgehammer approach to the issue of freedom of assembly in Burma.
Prison reform put on the back burner
A new prison law was discussed in parliament in 2015, but not passed. Nor has it been taken up by the NLD who took power in early 2016.
NLD-led Parliament accused of legislative lethargy
Critics have accused the NLD-led government of over-promising and under-delivering on legislative reform.
CSOs left to plug mental healthcare gap for former political prisoners
Former political prisoners are still locked in a battle against depression and anxiety – the aftermath of decades of imprisonment and isolation.
Beatings, extortion still commonplace at Insein penitentiary: ex-prisoner
One former political prisoner describes a tiered system of abuse within Insein Prison, Burma’s most infamous correctional facility on the outskirts of Rangoon.
NLD has responsibility to define ‘political prisoners’: AAPP
“They [NLD] should seek to propose a definition for what exactly constitutes a political prisoner.”
259 prisoners freed in presidential amnesty ahead of peace summit
Nearly 260 prisoners were released in a presidential amnesty on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the Union Peace Conference being held in Burma’s capital Naypyidaw this week.
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‘No changes’ under NLD, says human rights commissioner
Myanmar Now speaks to Yu Lwin Aung of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission.
Blue Shirt Campaign calls for release of all political prisoners
The campaign marks the third anniversary of the death of veteran journalist and former political prisoner Win Tin, who died on 21 April 2014.
A game for peace
On Saturday a friendly football match between former political prisoners and artists was held at Aung San Stadium in Rangoon. The game was organised for Peace Day.
NLD govt has released 457 political prisoners
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs said 274 political cases had been closed in the first 100 days of the new government.
Poet to walk free, but not happy with verdict
The case highlights the limits of control that Suu Kyi’s government, elected in November on pledges of democratization, has over the government where the military plays an outsized political role.
Letpadan protesters released, but leaders remain behind bars
Dozens of student protestors and a few high-profile activists were released today, but the fate of a number of others remains unclear.
Lacking support, Burma’s mental health patients suffer in silence
Mental health patients—many of them victims of junta-era repression—suffer in silence due to cultural stigma and a lack of psychological health care.
Burma’s human rights commission fights for government respect
Myanmar Human Rights Commission member Khine Khine Win discusses the body’s limitations and what she believes are its achievements.
Burma has fallen short on political prisoners, say rights groups
Burma freed 101 political prisoners last week, bringing the number of political detainees released by Thein Sein to more than 1,200 under his reign.
52 political prisoners freed in amnesty
The release, which included several high-profile prisoners of conscience, comes after recent pressure on the Burmese government from the United States, as well as rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
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First post-election meeting for Suu Kyi, US envoys
Aung San Suu Kyi met American diplomats on Monday as Burma transitions to a new government after her party’s sweeping election victory last November.
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Release all 91 political prisoners, says Amnesty
Jailed for religious defamation, New Zealander Phil Blackwood is the sole foreigner on Amnesty International’s list of 91 prisoners of conscience in Burma.
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Thein Sein touts his presidential achievements
Thein Sein portrayed himself as a champion of free speech in a video posted on Facebook, fuelling speculation he is aiming for a second term as President.
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Weekly student trials expose govt’s iron grip on dissent
As election nears, rights groups say Burmese authorities are increasingly bringing cases against students, land rights campaigners and other activists,
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Political prisoner issue undermines election’s legitimacy
With only two months until November’s long-awaited election, time is fast running out for the Burmese government to ensure it will be fair and democratic.
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5 journalists among political prisoners released
Five journalists were among at least 13 political prisoners released as pardons are granted to 6,996 inmates across Burma in a presidential amnesty.
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Interfaith activist arrested after posting pic with assault rifle
A Muslim interfaith activist is arrested after posting online a photo of himself holding a gun during a visit to Kachin State in 2013.
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Concerns over health of Tharawaddy detainees
The government has been urged to provide care to activists being held in Tharawaddy prison following reports that many are suffering from ill health.
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The art of protest
An art exhibition is currently being held in Rangoon to call for the release of detained student activists and other political prisoners.
49 activists arrested last month: AAPP
Report says Burma currently holds 163 political prisoners, adding that 442 non-detained activists are awaiting trial, 49 of whom were charged in May.
Htin Lin Oo sentence ‘appalling’
The sentencing of writer and former-National League for Democracy (NLD) member Htin Lin Oo to two years’ imprisonment has been met with criticism from international and domestic observers.
