Political prisoners on the rise in Burma: AAPP

by Salai Pi Pi
Friday, 04 September 2009 22:31

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Increasing international pressure for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, notwithstanding the number of ‘Prisoners of Conscience’ has further gone up, an activist group said.

The Thailand-based Assistant Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP-B), in a new report said authorities in the past month had arrested and detained 21 more political dissidents pushing up the number of prisoners of conscience from 2190 in the previous month to 2211 in August.

The AAPP said, during the month of August, authorities had arrested and detained 14 monks, who had participated during the Buddhist monk-led protests in September 2007 and four political activists and other individual activists.

“Most of them were charged without evidence and sentenced to jail,” Bo Kyi, Joint Secretary of AAPP told Mizzima.

“This shows that the regime didn’t pay heed to the call of the international community to release political prisoners,” he said, adding that the continued detention of political prisoners indicates the junta is not interested in finding any political solution.

In the last week of August, the Burmese regime arrested three monks from Magwe division in central Burma, and another from Rangoon in the run up to the second anniversary of September 2007 monk-led protests.

“I think the regime is arresting the monks because they fear there might be another round of protests similar to that of September 2007,” Bo Kyi said.

The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Right Commission (AHRC) in a statement on Thursday expressed deep concern over the trial of a monk, Sandadhika, who was picked up by plain clothes security men on August 11 on his way back from Insein prison, where he joined supporters waiting outside the prison for the verdict of Aung San Suu Kyi.

“They had him forcibly disrobed and charged in court with insulting religion. However, aside from not having material evidence to present…,” said the statement.

The monk was accused of attempting to commit suicide by setting himself on fire, but there were no evidence to prove the accusation, the AHRC said,

The AAPP said, while the authorities continue to arrest political dissidents, the harsh conditions of prisons are worsening. The AAPP especially expressed concern for the over 137 political prisoners, who are detained in jails in remote areas of Burma, where prisoners are kept without proper medical care.

“The health conditions of some political prisoners are getting worse,” Bo Kyi said.

Besides, Bo Kyi said, the transfer of political prisoners to remote jails is also an additional punishment for them, as family members are finding it difficult to pay frequent visits.