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Indian scribes demand release of veteran Burmese journalist
July 4, 2007: (Mizzima) In a show of solidarity to the media fraternity in Burma, journalists in India's northeast state of Manipur have demanded the immediate release of Burmese Editor U Win Tin in detention for 18 agonizing years.
The All Manipur Working Journalists Union, the apex journalist's body in Manipur bordering Burma, on Tuesday joined the worldwide chorus for the release of U Win Tin, former editor of Burmese newspaper Hantharwaddy.
U Win Tin, a veteran Burmese journalist and senior official of Burma's main opposition party – the National League for Democracy - was arrested on July 4, 1989 in a crackdown on political party members, and completes 18 years in prison today.
Jinendra Maibam, General Secretary of AMWJU in a statement issued on June 3 said," We appeal to the concerned authorities to show respect for the veteran journalist and release him to lead a free life".
The Manipur journalists' body also expressed unhappiness over the extensions of the veteran journalists' detention period.
U Win Tin has been sentenced three times since he was arrested, each time while he was imprisoned. His last extension was in March 1996 to seven year’s prison. He was penalized for communicating with the United Nations, regarding the appalling condition of prisoners in jails and for writing and circulating articles in prison.
Authorities termed this as "secretly publishing propaganda to incite riots in jail". The 78-year old Editor is the winner of the 2006 Reporters without Borders award. He is suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and an inflammatory disease that has affected his spine.