Burma: Ill-treatment of human rights defender Myo Thant whilst in detention

Dear Prime Minister,

I am deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender Myo Thant is being ill-treated whilst in detention. Myo Thant is a member of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Network (HRDP), an organisation dedicated to raising awareness of human rights issues, particularly in the fields of children's rights, women's rights and labour rights.

On 22 April 2008, Myo Thant was visited in Insein Prison by his family who reported that they believed he may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In March and April 2008 his sister visited him three times in the prison. She stated that he converses little and appears mentally confused. She was told by another prisoner that Myo Thant had been tortured. She considers this a possible cause for his mental deterioration. She asked prison officials to provide medical help for Myo Thant but as of this date it is believed that he has not received any.

Myo Thant was arrested and detained on 29 September 2007 for taking part in demonstrations against a hike in fuel prices. His trial is currently in progress. He and seven other human rights defenders were charged with defaming the government, and sedition (sections 124a and 505b of the Penal Code). Myo Thant was kept in solitary confinement after going on hunger strike from 10 to 25 December 2007 and is believed to also be suffering from anaemia.

I believe that the detention and ill-treatment of Myo Thant is related to his work in the defence of human rights. I see the detention and alleged ill-treatment of Myo Thant as part of an ongoing trend of harassment of human rights defenders in Burma. I am concerned for the psychological and physical integrity of Myo Thant and his family.

I urge the authorities in Burma to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Myo Thant, as it is believed that he has been arrested and detained solely on the basis of his legitimate and peaceful activities in the defence of human rights;

2. Take measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Myo Thant while in prison, including allowing him access to medical treatment, and ensure his freedom from ill-treatment and torture, as is his right under Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

3. Ensure that the treatment of Myo Thant adheres to all those conditions set out in the ‘Basic Principles for Treatment of Prisoners, adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990’;

4. Take measures to ensure that all human rights defenders in Burma, carrying out their legitimate work in human rights, are able to operate free of restrictions and harassment.

I respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.

I would particularly draw attention to Article 5 (a): “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: To meet or assemble peacefully”, and Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”

Yours sincerely,