May 2014 AAPP Monthly Chronology
Summary of the current Situation
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.
MONTH IN REVIEW
The Committee for Scrutinizing the Remaining Political Prisoners members plan to officially recognize six additional activists—consisting of five human rights defenders and a reporter, KoZawPe—as political prisoners. A committee member U Ye Aung is reported as saying, “According to the committee’s list in 2013, the total number of current political prisoners is thirty. At as of May 14, six more activists: Ko Nay MyoZin, Ko Win Cho, Ko Thaw Zin, KoYarzar, KoZawPe and U HlaingHlaing are supposed to be added.
(14 May 2014 – RFA)
