December 27, 2024 01:34 am (IST)
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Myanmar: Prisoner amnesty marred by outrageous jailing of activist for Facebook post, says Amnesty International
New Delhi, Jan 22 (IBNS): A prisoner amnesty in Myanmar on Friday does not go nearly far enough as scores of peaceful activists remain behind bars, Amnesty International said.
"The jailing today of another activist just hours after the amnesty was announced is a stark reminder of how prevalent repression still is in the country," it said.
The government on Friday announced the release of 102 prisoners, including at least 16 prisoners of conscience who Amnesty International has campaigned for.
But a court in Yangon on Friday sentenced peace activist Patrick Kum Jaa Lee, 43, to six months in prison for “online defamation”. He was first arrested in October 2015 for a Facebook post showing someone stepping on a photo of Myanmar Army Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
“Today’s events perfectly sum up how the Myanmar authorities give with one hand and take with the other. Just hours after the prisoner amnesty was announced, an activist has been sentenced to six months in jail for nothing but a harmless Facebook post,” said Laura Haigh, Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher.
“Although we are delighted for those who walk free today, scores more remain behind bars while hundreds of other peaceful activists are on bail facing jail time."
“Amnesties like the one today have little positive long-term effect as long as the same repressive practices fuelling arbitrary arrests and detention of activists continue. The guilty verdict against Patrick Kum Jaa Lee is outrageous and must be overturned,” Laura said.
Among the prisoners of conscience released on Friday are: Philip Blackwood, who in 2015 was sentenced – alongside Thun Thurein and Htut Ko Ko Lwin – to two and a half years in prison for “insulting religion” and another charge after using an image of the Buddha to promote a night club; and 13 members of the Michaungkan community jailed in 2015 for protesting in a land dispute.
Amnesty International said it is aware of almost 100 other prisoners of conscience still behind bars.
“It’s heartening that the men and women released today can go back to their lives and families, but the fact is none of them should have been charged in the first place. If President Thein Sein is serious about leaving a positive legacy, he must clear the country’s jails of all prisoners of conscience once and for all,” said Laura Haigh.
“Despite the optimism around the recent elections, today’s verdict is also a clear reminder that peacefully criticising the military is still very much off limits in Myanmar. The new government, which is meant to take power at the end of March, must do much more to ensure full respect for the human right to freedom of expression,” Laura said.
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