Release Four Activists Jailed for Peaceful Protests

In a joint statement, Civil Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International call for the immediate and unconditional release of four Burmese human rights defenders. They were convicted and sentenced on 17 January to one month in prison simply for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The four human rights defenders – Naw Ohn Hla, Maung U, U Nge (aka) Hsan Hlaing, and Sandar Myint – were found guilty of protesting without authorisation under Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. This law has frequently been used to target peaceful activists, in particular those campaigning for justice for communities affected by human rights violations and abuses.

Civil Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International consider all four human rights defenders to be prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We call on the Burmese authorities to release them immediately and without conditions, and quash their convictions.

We call on the Burmese government to ensure an environment in which it is possible to defend human rights without fear of reprisal or intimidation.

Read the statement in full here.