24 September 2008

Alert

Journalist U Win Tin released after 19 years in prison


Incident details

U Win Tin

journalist(s)

released
(SEAPA/IFEX) - Burmese journalist U Win Tin, the longest term political prisoner in military-ruled Burma, was released on 23 September 2008, along with 9,000 other prisoners, media reports said.

The Mizzima news agency, a SEAPA partner, said that aside from U Win Tin, who was incarcerated in Burma's notorious Insein prison for 19 years, several other political prisoners were also released.

A report from the Reuters news service quoted U Win Tin as saying, "I will keep fighting until the emergence of democracy in this country."

Also granted amnesty were Daw May Win Maung, who was elected as a member of parliament (MP) in 1990 in Mayankone township, Aung Soe Myint, a MP from Taungoo, and National League for Democracy (NLD) member U Aye Thin, according to NLD spokesperson Nyan Win.

SEAPA, a coalition of press freedom advocacy groups from the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, welcomes the release of U Win Tin. At the same time, the coalition notes that many more political prisoners remain in Burma's jails. SEAPA therefore maintains its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience in Burma.



Source:

Southeast Asian Press Alliance
Unit 3B, Thakolsuk Place
No. 115 Terddumri Road
Dusit, Bangkok 10300
Thailand
seapa (@) seapa.org
Phone: +66 2 243 5579
Fax: +66 2 244 8749
 

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More on this case

Journalist U Win Tin's health deteriorating after 19 years in jail, denied promised early release 3 July 2008 Imprisoned journalist U Win Tin hospitalised 24 January 2008 International PEN, RSF and Amnesty call for immediate release of editor U Win Tin 5 July 2005

Burma

All DVB journalists, freelancers and blogger freed under amnesty 13 January 2012 Censor board authorises publication of interviews with exiled media figures 24 October 2011 Three writers released under amnesty 17 October 2011 Comedian Zargana and at least 120 other political prisoners released 12 October 2011 Many news websites unblocked; 17 journalists and three netizens still held 20 September 2011 See all alerts: Burma


 
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