Student unionist detained in Myanmar: Lin Htet Naing and Phyoe Phyoe Aung
After almost eight months in hiding, prominent student unionist Lin Htet Naing has been detained for his role in organizing student protests in Myanmar. Over 50 students are currently in detention for taking part in the protests. Lin Htet Naing is a prisoner of conscience who must be immediately and unconditionally released.
UA: 252/15 Index: ASA 16/2813/2015 Myanmar Date: 4 November 2015
URGENT ACTION
STUDENT UNIONIST DETAINED IN MYANMAR
After almost eight months in hiding, prominent student unionist Lin Htet Naing has been
detained for his role in organizing student protests in Myanmar. Over 50 students are
currently in detention for taking part in the protests. Lin Htet Naing is a prisoner of
conscience who must be immediately and unconditionally released.
Lin Htet Naing aka Aung Thant Zin aka James, a prominent student unionist and member of the Central Executive
Committee of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), was arrested on 3 November by Special
Branch police on a bus in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city. His arrest relates to a peaceful protest he organized on
10 March in Yangon against the violent dispersal of a student march earlier that day in Letpadan, Bago Region.
After the protest on 10 March the police issued an arrest warrant against him and he went into hiding.
Following his arrest, his whereabouts remained unknown up until midday on 4 November when he was brought
before the Kamayut Township Court in Yangon. He was later transferred to Insein prison where he is currently
held. He has been charged with taking part in an unlawful assembly (Article 143 of the Penal Code), joining or
continuing an unlawful assembly knowing it has been dispersed (Article 145 of the Penal Code), “rioting” (Article
147 of the Penal Code), and inciting the public to commit offences against the State or the public tranquillity (Article
505(b) of the Penal Code). He faces up to six years and six months’ imprisonment. His next court hearing will be on
5 November.
Lin Htet Naing is the husband of Phyoe Phyoe Aung, the Secretary General of the ABFSU who is currently in
detention in Tharawaddy prison, Bago Region, for her role in leading the student protests in Letpadan. She is also
a prisoner of conscience.
Please write immediately in English, Burmese or your own language:
Calling on the Myanmar authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Lin Htet Naing, Phyoe Phyoe
Aung and all the other students detained simply for their peaceful protests;
Urging them to ensure that pending his release, Lin Htet Naing is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated, nor
transferred to a remote prison, has regular access to family members and a lawyer of his choice and is provided
with any medical treatment that he may require;
Calling on them to repeal or else amend all laws which unlawfully restrict the rights to freedom of expression
and peaceful assembly, to comply with international human rights law and standards.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 16 DECEMBER 2015 TO:
President
Thein Sein
President’s Office
Office No.18
Nay Pyi Taw
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Fax: +95 1 652 624
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Home Affairs
Lt Gen. Ko Ko
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Nay Pyi Taw
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Fax: +95 67 412 439
Salutation: Dear Minister
And copies to:
Chairman, Myanmar National Human
Rights Commission
U Win Mra
27 Pyay Road, Hline Township
Yangon
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Fax: + 95 1 659 668
Email: chmyanmarnhrc@gmail.com
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
STUDENT UNIONIST DETAINED IN MYANMAR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Lin Htet Naing, Phyoe Phyoe Aung, Kyaw Ko Ko, and Nandar Sitt Aung, all members of the ABFSU, have been leading student
protests since the end of 2014, after the National Education Law was adopted on 30 September 2014. They claim the law
curtails academic freedom and are calling for it to be amended. A nationwide student march was blocked in Letpadan, Bago
Region and violently dispersed on 10 March by Myanmar police. More than 100 students were arrested that day. Since then,
some have been released on bail but more than fifty remain in detention in Tharawaddy prison, Bago Region.
Lin Htet Naing is now facing trial in the same case as prisoners of conscience Nandar Sitt Aung and Kyaw Ko Ko. See UA:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa16/2484/2015/en/ and UA:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa16/2784/2015/en/
Lin Htet Naing was previously arrested in 2008 for his involvement in the “Saffron Revolution” – widespread anti-government
protests across Myanmar in August and September 2007. He was released in a presidential prisoner amnesty in January 2012.
The Myanmar authorities continue to arrest and imprison activists and human rights defenders simply for peacefully exercising
their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly which are enshrined in Articles 19 and 20 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Amnesty International is concerned about a number of laws in Myanmar which restrict
the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
In October, Amnesty International published a briefing highlighting how Myanmar’s authorities have intensified repression over
the past two years and in particular by clamping down on freedom of expression in the lead up to general elections scheduled
for 8 November. See: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa16/2457/2015/my/
Amnesty International continues to receive reports about poor prison conditions in Myanmar, which do not comply with those set
out in the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. These concerns include a lack of access to adequate
medical treatment, clean drinking water, nutritious food and water for bathing.
Name: Lin Htet Naing aka Aung Thant Zin aka James (m) and Phyoe Phyoe Aung (f)
Gender m/f: both
UA: 252/15 Index: ASA 16/2813/2015 Issue Date: 4 November 2015