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hrwatch press release on Ye Htut



     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   October 4,
     1995
     
     For Further Information
     Zunetta Liddell, London UK          44 -171-713-1995
     Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington DC     1- 202-371-6592
     
     
     HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH/ASIA PROTESTS THE ARREST OF
     BURMESE STUDENT
         
                               Human Rights Watch/Asia today protested the
     arrest of Ye Htut, a Burmese student, by military
     intelligence officials in Rangoon. According to a
     report in the government-run newspaper The New Light
     of Myanmar on October 4, 1995, Ye Htut was arrested
     on September 27, 1995 for sending 'incriminating
     documents' which Human Rights Watch/Asia believes
     were private letters addressed to Aung Zaw (aka Zaw
     Gyi), a member of the Burma Information Group, an
     activist organization based in Bangkok. 
     
          "We believe that Ye Htut has been arrested
     solely for having sent information to friends and
     contacts abroad. Under international law, this
     cannot be characterized as criminal behavior," said
     Zunetta Liddell, researcher for Human Rights
     Watch/Asia, "This arrest, just weeks after the
     release of Aung San Suu Kyi, is clearly intended to
     intimidate Burma s citizens.  It should  be a signal
     to the international community about the need to
     maintain the pressure for fundamental human rights
     improvements,  she added.
     
          Human Rights Watch/Asia is concerned that Ye
     Htut may be subjected to torture and ill-treatment
     since his arrest a week ago, that he will not be
     granted a fair trial, and that he could be sentenced
     to over ten years imprisonment under Burma's
     draconian laws.  Human Rights Watch/Asia urged the
     U.N. Special Rapporteur, Prof. Yozo Yokota, who is
     visiting Burma later this month on behalf of the
     United Nations Commission on Human Rights, to make
     urgent inquiries about Ye Htut.
     
          The New Light of Myanmar article alleged that
     information sent by Ye Htut had been used by Aung
     Zaw in articles published in opposition journals,
     such as The Irrawaddy, and by the independent radio
     station, Radio Burma. It added that Ye Htut had
     admitted receiving payment from Aung Zaw for his
               work.  However, international law protects
     the right to freedom of expression,          
     including the "freedom to seek, receive and impart
     information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of
     frontiers" (Article 19 of the International Covenant
     on Civil and Political Rights).  
     
           Since Aung San Suu Kyi s release from house
     arrest on July 10, 1995, there has been a noticeable
     softening of the position of some governments
     towards the SLORC. Japan, for example, is sending a
     mission to Burma this month to discuss Japan s
     bilateral aid programs and prepare for the
     resumption of some major Official Development
     Assistance (ODA) projects, suspended since 1988.  In
     a report released on July 24, 1995 Human Rights
     Watch/Asia stressed the urgent need for the repeal
     of laws which prohibit freedom of expression,
     association and the rights of citizens to
     participate in the country's political process if
     there is to be any meaningful improvement in the
     human rights situation in Burma. Ye Htut is likely
     to be charged and convicted under those laws.
     
          Human Rights Watch/Asia called on the
     international community to press the Burmese
     government for the immediate release of Ye Htut and
     others jailed on similar grounds.  Others arrested
     for similar  offenses  since 1988 include lawyer U
     Nay Min, who was arrested in September 1988 and
     sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment for having
     allegedly sent information to the British
     Broadcasting Corporation during the time of the pro-
     democracy demonstrations; Dr. Thida, a medical
     doctor and close aid of Aung San Suu Kyi who was
     arrested in August 1993 and sentenced to twenty
     years imprisonment for allegedly distributing anti-
     government literature in Rangoon; and U Khin Zaw Win
     (aka Kelvin), Daw San San Nwe, U Khin Maung Swe, U
     Sein Hla Oo and Myat Moe Moe Htun who were all
     arrested in August 1994 and given sentences of
     between seven and fifteen years for having given
     'false information' to embassies and journalists.
     Khin Zaw Win was also alleged to have contacted the
     U.N. Special Rapporteur on his visit to Burma in
     1992.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
                    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.  Kenneth Roth is the
     executive director; Cynthia Brown is the program director;
     Holly J. Burkhalter is the advocacy director; Ann S. Johnson is
     the development director; Gara LaMarche is the associate
     director: Juan E. Mndez is general counsel; Susan Osnos is the
     communications director; and Derrick Wong is the 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;
     Zunetta Liddell and Patricia Gossman  are research associates;
     Mark Girouard and Shu-Ju Ada Cheng are Henry R. Luce Fellows;
     Diana Tai-Feng Cheng is an associate; Mickey Spiegel is a
     research consultant.  Andrew J. Nathan is chair of the advisory
     committee and Orville Schell is vice chair