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HRW/Asia press release - sentences



     HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH/ASIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   March 20, 1996
     

For further information:
     
Zunetta Liddell, London  44-171-713-1995
Sidney Jones, NY             212-972-8400, ext. 290
Mike Jendrzejczyk, DC    202-371-6592, ext. 113
     
Human Rights Watch/Asia condemns sentencing of NLD supporters.
                                  
     Human Rights Watch/Asia condemned the harsh sentences given on Monday, March 18, to four members of the Burmese political opposition and said they were not given a fair trial. Par Par Lay, Lu Zaw, U Htway and U Aung Soe, all members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), were given seven-year prison terms under the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act. The sentencing took place not in a courtroom but in Mandalay jail where the four have been held since their arrest on January 7, 1996.

Another NLD member, U Saw Hlaing, was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday apparently in relation to a minor traffic accident on March 16, in which the car he was driving collided with a rickshaw in Kyungone village near Toungoo. Human Rights Watch/Asia said the charges against U Saw Hlaing were politically motivated, and that his trial, held in a closed session in Kyungone, was also unfair.

Members of the NLD, the party of the Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, have been systematically persecuted since the party won an overwhelming victory in the elections of May 1990.  Human Rights Watch/Asia called on the Burmese authorities to release all five men immediately and unconditionally
 and to allow all Burmese to fully exercise their right to freedom of association. Human Rights Watch/Asia also called on the international community at the current session  of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva to press for a representative of the UN to be permanently present in Burma to report on abuses of fundamental rights.
     
          Par Par Lay and Lu Zaw are both comedians who appeared at an Independence Day celebration at Aung San Suu Kyi's house in Rangoon on January 4, 1996.  U Htway is the manager of the dance troupe which also particpated in the event.  Nine other dancers and musicians from the troupe who were also arrested between January 7 and 10 were released without charges in early February. 
     
          U Aung Soe was arrested in Mandalay on January 10 in connection with the distribution of videos of speeches by Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and U Kyi Maung at the weekly "People's Forum" gatherings outside Aung San Suu Kyi's house. 


Human Rights Watch/Asia
Human Rights Watch is a nongovernmental organization established in 1978 to monitor and promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and among the signatories of the Helsinki accords.  It is supported by contributions from private individuals and foundations  worldwide.  It accepts no government funds, directly or indirectly.  The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Cynthia Brown, program director; Holly J. Burkhalter, advocacy director; Robert Kimzey, publications director; Jeri Laber, special advisor; Gara LaMarche, associate director; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Juan Mndez, general counsel; Susan Osnos, communications director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative; and Derrick Wong, finance and administration director.  Robert L. Bernstein is the chair of the board and Adrian W. DeWind is vice chair.  Its Asia division was established in 1985 to monitor and promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights in Asia.  Sidney Jones is the executive director; Mike Jendrzejczyk is the Washington director; Robin Munro is the Hong Kong director; Jeannine Guthrie is NGO Liaison; Dinah PoKempner is Counsel; Patricia Gossman and Zunetta Liddell are research associates; Joyce Wan and Shu-Ju Ada Cheng are Henry R. Luce Fellows; Diana Tai-Feng Cheng and Paul Lall are the associates; Mickey Spiegel is a research consultant.  Andrew J. Nathan is chair of the advisory committee and Orville Schell is vice chair.