September 14, 2001

Today is the third anniversary of the arrest of Myo Min Zaw, a Burmese student leader, serving 52 years imprisonment. He is currently held in Bassein (Pathein) prison.

In 1996, Myo Min Zaw was a second year student majoring in English in Hlaing College, Rangoon University. He became actively involved in the 1996 December students' demonstration. When all the universities were closed down, he and other students continuously met and discussed issues concerning politics, economics, education and student rights.

In 1998, he set up a study group, the Student and Youth United Front, of which he became the chairperson. It was at this time that he took the name Moe Hein Aung, as he was participating in preparing for the upcoming student movement and distributing statements by the SYUF.

Myo Min Zaw was the leader of the student demonstration that broke out at Hledan junction in Rangoon on 24 August 1998. The main slogans during the August and September demonstrations were as follows:
(1) We call for the immediate convening of parliament; (2) The people's government is our government (3) We don't want the military regime.

Before the three slogans were chosen, decisions were made to spread the movement all over Rangoon and to initiate demonstrations in other towns. Myo Min Zaw, therefore, was an important target for military intelligence (MI). He was arrested when MI finally tracked him down in September 1998.

He was taken to an interrogation center where he was reportedly tortured in many severe ways. At the news conference of the military government held in October 1998, Myo Min Zaw was accused of being the chief organizer of riots in cooperation with the All Burma Federation of Students' Union (ABFSU). He was sentenced to 38 years imprisonment without any representation. According to the Burmese Jail Manual, which was in force during the rule of British Colonial days, all prisoners have the right to parole for one third of the given prison term. However, no parole has been allowed and recently his sentence has been extended in 52 years.

Amnesty International (AI), a London base human rights watch group, considers him a prisoner of conscience as he was imprisoned for his non-violent political beliefs. We sincerely thank local AI groups around the world who are calling for the immediate release of Myo Min Zaw.

We also want the world to be aware that the current military government sentenced a student activist to 52 years imprisonment for the non-violent expression of his beliefs.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)