No Political Prisoner Left Behind – Free Htin Kyaw!

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View this email in your browser Dear friendTake action to free Htin Kyaw! No Political Prisoners must be left behind in Burma’s jails! The promise by President Thein Sein to release all political prisoners by the end of 2013 was not met. In fact, more activists are being arrested for speaking out. In Kachin State and in Rakhine State, hundreds more remain in jail or awaiting trials. Human rights activist Htin Kyaw has been repeatedly arrested and jailed for his peaceful political activities. He was arrested on 5th May 2014, and charged under two different counts including under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law. He is a leader of the community-based organisation called Movement for Democracy Current Force (MDCF), which represents grassroots communities and campaigns against land-grabbing and other human rights violations in Burma. He was arrested on 5th May 2014 for protesting without government permission and distributing leaflets which criticise the military-backed government. He was charged under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, and sentenced to 3 months in prison. Between 23 June and 19 August 2014, Htin Kyaw was also convicted by eight different township courts in Rangoon on eight different counts of violating Section 505(b) of Burma’s Penal Code. Section 505(b) is one of the repressive laws which the military-backed government uses to jail democracy activists for committing or inducing others “to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility.” Htin Kyaw is currently serving nine years and four months in Insein prison. Please send an email to Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond, urging the UK government to take action for the release of Htin Kyaw and all remaining political prisoners in Burma. Thank you. Anna Roberts Burma Campaign UK Take action for political prisoners here.