The former British ambassador Vicky Bowman, Japanese journalist Toru Kubota and Sean Turnell, an Australian counselor from the fallen government of Aung San Suu Kyi are “pardoned and expelled” from the country. The ex-leader remains incarcerated while her river trial is underway.
Le Monde with afp
For many months, human rights organizations have claimed the liberation in Burma of the very numerous prisoners incarcerated by the power in power, accused of carrying out a bloody repression of any dissent which followed the military coup of the military state February 2021.
They were, in part, heard since the junta announced, Thursday, November 16, that she was going to release 5,774 prisoners including some 600 women. Among them, former British ambassador Vicky Bowman, Australian Sean Turnell and Japanese journalist Toru Kubota “are pardoned and expelled,” said the junta in a press release.
Vicky Bowman, stationed between 2002 and 2006, and her husband, the artist Burmese Htein Lin, former political prisoner, both arrested in August for having violated immigration laws, had been sentenced to one year in prison . Like his wife, Htein Lin has been released, learned the France-Presse agency (AFP).
Sean Turnell, professor of Australian economics, worked as an advisor to Aung San Suu Kyi when he was arrested a few days after the coup, in February 2021. He was sentenced in September to three years in prison for violation of the law on official secrets.
Toru Kubota, 26, arrested in July on the sidelines of an anti-junte demonstration in Rangoun, had been sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. A Japanese diplomatic source confirmed to AFP that it “would be released today [Thursday]” and was to leave Burma for Japan also Thursday, according to this source.
nearly 70 journalists still In prison
It was the fifth foreign journalist since the coup d’etat to have been arrested by the junta, after the Americans Danny Fenster and Nathan Maung, the Pole Robert Bociaga and the Japanese Yuki Kitazumi, who all ended up being released and expelled. According to UNESCO, at least 170 journalists have been arrested since the coup, and nearly 70 of them are still in prison.
Another foreigner is released: Kyaw Htay Oo, a Burmese holding an American passport, according to an official source.
Families gathered before INSEIN prison in Rangoun, before the expected announcement of the liberation of prisoners, described an AFP journalist on site.
San San Aye explained to waiting for the release of his brothers and sisters. “Three of them were sentenced to three years each eight months ago,” she said “their children are waiting for the house. We will be more than happy if they are released”. For his part, Kyaw Htay, whose son was sentenced to three years in prison for sharing messages against the coup d’etat on social networks, said he was released today. ” p>
Three former freed ministers
“The Liberation of Professor Turnell is very good news after he was taken hostage by the regime, his family and his friends will rejoice”, reacted to AFP independent expert David Mathieson . But the junta “shows no sign of reform and a mass amnesty does not absolves the atrocities committed since the coup,” he said.
“Thousands of people imprisoned since the coup (…) did nothing wrong and should never have been imprisoned at the start,” said spokesperson for the NGO regional office Amnesty International.
Three former ministers of the fallen government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains incarcerated while his river trial is underway, have also been released, said a superior officer of the junta.
Since the coup d’etat that plunged the country into a bloody conflict, more than 2,300 civilians have been killed by the security forces, according to the count of a local NGO. The junta, who accuses her opponents, has more than 3,900.