[RE: UA-112-2004: BURMA: Complaints against forced labour blocked and victims punished issued on 3 September 2004; UP-11-2005: BURMA: Four officials sentenced to prison for forced labour in Kawmhu Township, Yangon Division; UP-63-2005: BURMA: Local officials seek revenge against villager who obtained first successful forced labour prosecution; UP-68-2005: BURMA: Preliminary hearing against villager who obtained first successful forced labour prosecution completed; UP-73-2005: BURMA: Defamation case against villager continues; UP-117-2005: BURMA: Human rights defender Ma Su Su Nwe jailed in Insein Prison; UP-119-2005: BURMA: Latest news on jailing of human rights defender Ma Su Su New; UP-124-2005: BURMA: Jailed human rights defender Ma Su Su Nwe reportedly denied medicines; UP-132-2005: BURMA: South Rangoon District Court summarily rejects appeals against prison terms; UP-147-2005: BURMA: Division court also summarily rejects case of ailing Ma Su Su Nwe; UP-006-2006: BURMA: Ma Su Su Nwe hospitalised; Supreme Court to hear case; UP-017A-2006: BURMA: Supreme Court summarily rejects Su Su Nwe case]
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UP-119-2006: BURMA: Release from prison for Su Su Nwe
BURMA: Forced labour; impunity; un-rule of law; threats to human rights defender; arbitrary detention; cruel and inhuman treatment; denial of right to health
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NEW MA SU SU NWE WEBPAGE: www.ahrchk.net/susunwe
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received news today from the Myint Mo Media informing us that Ma Su Su Nwe has been released from prison. Ma Su Su Nwe, you will recall, is the villager and human rights defender detained for successfully complaining against local authorities about forced labour.
At 1pm today Ma Su Su Nwe was called forward by the womens prison director who told her that she was to be released. The director further said that she was being released on health grounds and under section 401 (When any person has been sentenced to punishment for an offence, the President of the Union may at any time, without conditions or upon any conditions which the person sentenced accepts, suspend the execution of his sentence or remit the whole or any part of the punishment to which he has been sentenced). Ma Su Su Nwe was not made to sign any documents and was released without condition. Ma Su Su Nwes release comes in the wake of pressure from the International Labour Organization.
There are reports that another person involved in a forced labour case has also been released. This, however, has yet to be confirmed.
The AHRC very much welcomes the news of Ma Su Su Nwes release and thank our network for their letters of support in calling for the end to her detention. We also wish to reiterate that Ma Su Su Nwe should never have been charged and detained in the first place.
The AHRC will issue more information on this matter when it comes to hand.
The AHRC has set up a new webpage on Ma Su Su Nwe, with appeals, statements and other media. Please visit http://www.ahrchk.net/susunwe. See also recent appeals on the case for the latest news: UP-017A-2006, UP-006-2006, UP-147-2005 and UP-132-2005; see full case details: UA-112-2004.
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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