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                                                      News Service 173/96
AI INDEX: ASA 16/17/96
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- 27 SEPTEMBER 1996

MYANMAR: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNS DETENTION OF MORE
THAN 100 PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS

Amnesty International is alarmed that once again pro-democracy activists in Myanmar are
being detained by the military authorities to prevent them from attending a political meeting
due to start today.

       ~Yet again, the military authorities are showing that they will not tolerate any
dissenting voices in Myanmar,~ Amnesty International said today. ~These people have been
arrested solely to stop them attending a peaceful meeting -- they should be released
immediately.~

      Ill-treatment in detention is commonplace in Myanmar. Amnesty International is
seeking assurances that all those activists detained are given proper access to their family,
lawyers of their choice and medical personnel.

      A Myanmar Government spokesman is quoted as saying that 109 people have been
~called in for questioning and brought to local guest houses~ in the capital. The meeting was
scheduled to be held in the compound of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi~s house in Yangon from 27
to 29 September to celebrate the eighth anniversary of the founding of the National League
for Democracy (NLD, the political party founded by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) . The
compound and the road leading to the compound have been completely sealed -- with nobody
able to enter or leave.  

      It was also reported that today the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC) issued an order that only Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would be allowed to stay in her
residence and compound. It is not known how many other people may be inside the
compound at this time.  Amnesty International is urging the SLORC not to arrest other NLD
activists, either in or outside the compound.

BACKGROUND

In May this year a similar attempt to hold a meeting of the NLD resulted in the arrest of
more than 300 activists, most of whom were released several days later. At least 60 people
arrested during the crackdown or since remain in detention. In August, 31 political activists
were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for their peaceful political opposition to the
government. Under new legislation enacted in early June anyone expressing their dissenting
political views publicly can be imprisoned for up to 20 years.
ENDS\



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