Press Association - Protesting Brit

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Subject: Press Association - Protesting Briton is freed in Burma

Press Association
Monday November 1, 2:34 PM
Protesting Briton is freed in Burma
Rachel Goldwyn, the British human rights activist sentenced to seven years
in a Burma prison, was freed today.
The 28-year-old graduate from Richmond, jailed for singing a pro-democracy
song, had spent less than two months in Rangoon's Insein prison. Her release
followed a period of "quiet negotiation" with the Burmese authorities.

The decision comes five weeks after her parents Edward and Charmian flew to
Burma for informal discussions about their daughter's fate with government
officials, during which they were allowed to visit her in prison. Hopes of
Rachel's release were first raised two weeks ago after she agreed to make a
public acknowledgement that she was wrong to "take an active part in the
internal political affairs of another country".

Her parents, who are still in Burma, are said to have been concerned that
her health was suffering in the harsh prison regime.

The reasons for the move have not been revealed, but it is understood that
Rachel was due to have a hearing before an appeal court which had power to
give a suspended sentence. Today her sister Naomi Rose said she was
"overjoyed", adding: "This is fantastic news and I can't wait to see Rachel
again."

She said the Foreign Office telephoned her at 6am. "They told me Rachel was
free and I cried and cried and cried. I had no idea this was going to
happen, it is a bolt out of the blue."

She said she was already preparing to throw a party for her sister's
homecoming.

"These last two months have been the worst of my life, a nightmare," she
added. "I have been able to write to Rachel but she was unable to reply and
that was hell."

Rachel, an LSE economics graduate, was jailed in September for "endangering
state security" after she tied herself to a lamp post in central Yangon and
shouted and sang pro-democracy slogans. The harshness of the sentence
stunned her family, who at the time were unaware that she was in Burma.

The campaign to free Rachel has been backed by the Foreign Office, which
expressed concern over the handling of her case and the length of the
sentence.

FO staff said today that she has signed an undertaking not to become
involved in Burmese political affairs again, although it was not clear
whether that was the reason behind the decision to free her. "It may have
been that she had an appeal being considered by the Burmese courts, or
simply a matter of clemency, or a combination of these factors," said a
spokesman.

Rachel's release may help fellow Briton James Mawdsley, serving 17 years for
entering Burma illegally and possessing anti-government literature. However,
he has refused to appeal against his sentence, saying he does not recognise
the authority of the Burmese regime.

His father David, 56, from Kensington, said: "I'm overjoyed for Rachel and
her family but I cannot say it gives me more hope for James because the
scenarios are so different."