U Win Tin: One Man’s Birthday Wish
Posted on: 01/08/07

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He is still in prison, and his wish is for freedom.

U Win Tin is Myanmar’s longest-serving prisoner of conscience. As of March 2007, he spent his 77th birthday in a Myanmar prison. U Win Tin was arrested in July 1989 because of his senior position in the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD won 82 percent of seats in the 1990 general election, but the authorities have refused to hand over power.

U Win Tin has spent one fifth of his life in jail for his peaceful opposition to the ruling military authorities and for his defence of human rights and freedom of expression. In March 1996, he was sentenced to seven more years’ imprisonment for communicating with the United Nations about prison conditions, torture and lack of medical care, and for writing and circulating articles in prison.

He has been held in solitary confinement for much of his prison term, and has chronic health problems. He has experienced torture, lack of access to medical treatment, and was held for three months in 1996 in a cell for military dogs, made to sleep on concrete floors without bedding and deprived of food and water for long periods. U Win Tin remains in prison in Myanmar. Please take action to make sure that he is released before his 78th birthday!

Please write a letter calling for the immediate and unconditional release of U Win Tin and hundreds of other prisoners of conscience in Myanmar.

Sample Letter:

Dear General Than Shwe,

I am writing to you today to call for the immediate and unconditional release of U Win Tin and the many other prisoners of conscience held on account of their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of association and expression.

Write to:

Senior General Than Shwe
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)
c/o Ministry of Defence
Naypyitaw
Union of Myanmar

Tips for Letter-Writing: Use the sample text above, or write your own letter. Please do not mention Amnesty International in your letter and do not include your return address. 

Amnesty International's Concerns

There are more than 1,185 political prisoners in Myanmar. These include prisoners of conscience imprisoned for peaceful assembly or expression of their beliefs or engagement in peaceful political activities. Many have been subjected to torture or ill-treatment, have been held incommunicado without access to lawyers, and have been sentenced through the use of repressive legislation in unfair trials. By the end of 2006, most senior opposition figures were imprisoned or detained.

Prison conditions in Myanmar are extremely poor. Many prisoners of conscience have been in poor health, and have faced torture and other forms of ill-treatment. Access to medical treatment is inadequate.

In Myanmar, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are restricted, as is access to the internet. Members of opposition parties, students unions and other organizations have been harassed, threatened and attacked, and many are currently in prison.

Amnesty’s Involvement

Amnesty International has appealed on behalf of all prisoners of conscience in Myanmar, including U Win Tin. AI Canada has written news releases, and members have participated in urgent appeals on this case. Continued pressure for his release is needed.

Case Updates

22/09/08
U Win Tin, Myanmar's longest-serving prisoner of conscience, was released from prison on Sept 22nd, 2008.