August 20, 2002.

The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) claimed turning on the new page in Burma after they released Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from her house arrest on May 6, 2002.

However no one sees any progress including political prisoners' situation and meaningful dialogue that are demanded by the United Nations and international governments. To deceive the international community, the SPDC released very limited political prisoners who were about to finish their imprisonment. Whenever they release political prisoners, half a dozen or so, they let the international community know, but they never announce publicly when political prisoners die in prison and why political prisoners are still detained even after they had completely served their sentences.

For prisoners, release is their chief longing. They were told that on their due date, they would be released at once. Afterwards, however, they were informed they were charged again under section 10(a) called the State Protection Act, an Act that allows any one to be in prison for up to five years without a trail.

As a result of that act, many are suffering from mental health problems and some even die. On August 17, 2002, Aung May Thuu, 61, chairman of Min Hla Township National League for Democracy (NLD), died at the Rangoon General Hospital. On June 11, 2001, Si Thu, a student leader, who was arrested since 1989 died of HIV virus at Tharawaddy prison. On August 1, 2001, Saw Tin Myint, a member of Karen national Union (KNU), who was arrested since 1983 died in Thayet prison. On May 13, 1998, Aung Kyaw Moe who sat for hunger strike died after 4 days' torture.

Above-mentioned political prisoners died behind bars after they finished their sentences. Apart from that there are 34 political prisoners in various prisons throughout Burma who have already served their primary sentences.

While SPDC is saying there is a political process, death toll of the political prisoners is increasing day by day. We, the AAPP, see State Protection Act as a weapon killing the dissidents both physically and mentally, and thus demand that it will be abolished immediately and permanently.

It is clearly evident that the military junta has been methodically deceiving not only its own people but the international community by proposing release of political prisoners only a trifling number at a time.

Therefore we, AAPP, strongly urge the international community and democratic activists to put more pressure on the junta to secure the unconditional release of all political prisoners, which is the sole and only solution to end deaths in prison.

We demand the SPDC:
1. to immediately free the political prisoners who have already served their sentences,
2. to free all the political prisoners,
3. to abolish the Article 10 (A), of "The State Protection Act", an Act that has been blatantly violating fundamental human rights.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)