Posted
October 20th, 2008
by
On 24 October 2008, Myanmar’s most well known political prisoner, democracy leader and Nobel Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, will have spent 13 years in detention. On the same day, leaders of Asian and European countries are having a summit meeting in China.
From 12 – 1pm on Friday 24 October 2008, the Burma Campaign UK will therefore be protesting outside the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place. They will be delivering a giant key to the Chinese Embassy, representing the key to freedom that world leaders hold, if they work together to pressure the regime. Please do join them if you are able to.
Two weeks ago, the Burma Campaign UK asked those concerned about the present situation in Myanmar to email the UN demanding they work for the release of political prisoners. The UN has since received thousands of emails, and last week Ban Ki-Moon stated that he wanted to see the release of political prisoners as a sign of progress for when he visits the country in December. It is the first time he has linked his visit with the release of political prisoners. To read more, please go to: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/un_action.hml
Last year, following the brutal suppression of peaceful protests in Burma, special advisor to the UN Professor Ibrahim Gambari was given assurances that arrests of political activists would end. Despite this, there are now almost twice as many political prisoners as there were before the uprising. The recent amnesty of 9,002 prisoners, including long-standing PEN case Win Tin was a welcome development. Nevertheless, there are still over 2,000 political prisoners, imprisoned in violation of their right to free expression, in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Please send appeals:
- Protesting the continued detention of English PEN Honorary Member Aung San Suu Kyi;
- Urging the authorities to release all those imprisoned in violation of their right to free expression
Appeals to:
Senior General Than Shwe
Chairman, State Peace and Development Council
c/o Ministry of Defence
Naypyitaw
Union of Myanmar
Nyaw Win
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Naypyitaw
Union of Myanmar
Please also send appeals to the Burmese representative in the UK:
His Excellency HE U Nay Win
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
19A Charles Street
Berkeley Square
London W1J 5DX
Originally posted with the url: www.englishpen.org/writersinprison/bulletins/myanmarprotestforpoliticalprisoners/
