Amnesty is calling for the immediate release of Burmese human rights activist U Myint Aye, who is serving a life sentence for his alleged involvement in planning a bomb attack in the Shwepyitha Township in Yangon on 1 July 2008.
U Myint Aye, aged 61, from Yangon, has a long track record of peaceful political activism. He is a prominent member of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP) network, which he co-founded in 2002, and served as the vice chairman of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Yangon, the opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi. He has been arrested at least six times since 1988.
Amnesty believes his most recent arrest is based on fabricated charges and that he has been targeted as a result of his human rights activities. It followed a search of his home on 8 August 2008, during which the police removed a number of items and documents relating to his work to distribute aid to survivors of cyclone Nargis, which struck Burma in May 2008 and killed tens of thousands of people.
His trial, which started on 26 September 2008, fell far short of international fair trial standards. He was allegedly tortured in detention and the lawyers he engaged were subjected to intimidation and other human rights violations. In spite of a lack of incriminating evidence against him, Myint Aye was sentenced to life imprisonment plus eight years on 29 November 2008. He is being detained in Loikaw prison, Kayah State, more than 460km from his home town and wife and son – a journey of 20 hours by car.
Amnesty will be campaigning for his release at the Edinburgh festival this year. To take action demanding U Myint Aye's release and to demand the release of all prisoners of conscience in Burma, go to the Amnesty UK priority action page.
