Free Ma Sandar

25 November 2010
[RE: AHRC-UAU-019-2010 BURMA: Human rights defender jailed for second time]
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BURMA: Ailing human rights defender transferred to another prison
ISSUES: Rule of law; military government; judicial system
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by the transfer of Ma Sandar, an ailing human rights defender convicted on fabricated charges, to another prison without the knowledge of her family. Her family has lost contact with her and do not know where she is presently being held. 

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-235-2008

23 October 2008
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BURMA: A woman harassed and jailed for making complaints against local officials
ISSUES: Rule of law; rights to liberty and security; military government; judicial system; illegal detention
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received detailed information on the case of a woman in lower Burma who has been jailed for over one year for allegedly swearing at some local officials. The reason for the case against the accused, Ma Sandar, is that she had previously made complaints against these officials. The case against her was groundless, and the AHRC is appealing for her prompt release. 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received news that a human rights defender who was released from jail in September is facing a new criminal trial under the same charges. She served more than a year in jail because of complaints she made against local officials, but is facing another trial along with her husband under the same charges and before the same judge as the previous case.

CASE DETAILS:

In our previous appeal on behalf of Ma Sandar (left), the AHRC described how she was imprisoned for one year and one month in August 2008 in a concocted case – revenge for her having made complaints about official corruption. She was released along with many other prisoners last September after having served her sentence, although the military regime in Burma gave the appearance that those released were being let out early due to its goodwill.

Ma Sandar and her husband have now been made the target of a new fraudulent legal action, seemingly because of her refusal to be complaisant to local authorities.

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that, as anticipated, a human rights defender in Burma was imprisoned again last week. She was originally jailed because of complaints she made against local officials and has now been imprisoned with her husband under the same charges, after appearing before the same judge as the previous case.
 
CASE NARRATIVE:

As the AHRC wrote in February (UAU-007-2010) Ma Sandar and her husband were targeted with new fraudulent legal action in November 2009 in response to their complaints about the lack of treatment for an accident victim at a township hospital. The charges against Ma Sandar and her husband Ko Zaw Min Htun were the same as those that were brought against her previously, when she had complained about local authorities' corruption. The judge also was the same as before.

Navi Pillay
High Commissioner for Human Rights
OHCHR, UNOG
CH-1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND

MYANMAR: A human rights defender targeted by medical doctors

Dear Ms. Pillay,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a copy of a letter from a human rights defender in Myanmar (Burma), a copy of which has also been addressed to you. As the letter may not have been received or its contents not communicated to you, we are taking this opportunity to raise the matter it contains with you directly, and also to discuss with you what can be done through international interventions into this type of situation.