Information Release:
May 6, 2005

The lives of 9 political prisoners on a hunger strike in Insein Prison are at risk. They started their hunger strike on April 28, 2005.

They are on a hunger strike because they are mixed with common criminal prisoners and they are bullied. Therefore they requested the prison authorities not to mix them with criminal prisoners. When their request was neglected, they started a hunger strike.

Those who are on Hunger Strike are:
(1) Ko Myo Khin ( member of National League for Democracy- NLD)
(2) Ko Kyaw Kyaw (Student- All Burma Federation of Student Unions-ABFSU)
(3) Ko Han Win Aung (Student- All Burma Federation of Student Unions-ABFSU)
(4) Lwin Ko Latt (Student- All Burma Federation of Student Unions-ABFSU)
(5) Ko Myo Win
(6) Ko Aye Lwin
(7) Ko Kyaw Moe
(8) Ko Kyaw Naing
(9) A monk (unknown name)

Now they are not allowed to have family visiting rights. Among them, Ko Han Win Aung and Ko Lwin Ko Latt have given up drinking water since May 1, 2005. As a result, they were beaten brutally and sent to the dog cell where there are military trained dogs.

At present, both of them cannot walk and are very weak. The weather in Burma is too hot now. So their health conditions are deteriorating further.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)