Call for the international community to protest and take immediate measures against the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi in Insein Prison

20 May 2009

Aung
San Suu Kyi, a pro-democracy leader, the Noble Peace Prize winner, who
had been placed under house arrest, was taken to Insein Prison in Rangoon
together with two attendants on 14th May 2009 by the Myanmar military
regime. The regime announced that she has been charged with violating
the terms of her house arrest in connection with an American man’s
entry into her house last week and it will set up the first hearing of
her trial on 18th May 2009.
It is concerned that this detention in
the infamous Insein Prison which is known for its harsh imprisonment
conditions might contribute to the deterioration of her health
condition since it has been reported that she has been in an extremely
poor state of health.
Her house arrest is unwarranted and arbitrary,
and an illegal suppression of democracy and the international community
including the UN Human Rights Council resolution (2nd October 2007) has
called for her immediate release in concert. Last year, the military
regime extended her detention sentence, which has been expired since
27th May 2008, for one more year without warrant. It is obvious that
this prosecution for violation of the terms of her house arrest is
unlawful.
It is also obvious that the military regime’s intention
lies in undermining pro-democracy forces against the 2010 general
election, taking Aung San Suu Kyi in custody after 27th May 2009. This
detention has revealed that it is impossible to carry out a fair
election in this circumstance.
Human Rights Now, a human rights NGO based in Tokyo, strongly protests about the military regime’s egregious proceeding against Aung San Suu Kyi.
The
international community also should change its lukewarm attitudes
against the military regime, strongly condemn its rash acts and place
more pressure on the regime in concert not to arbitrarily extend the
detention or the house arrest sentence of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Human Rights Now requests governments including Japan to take clear stances on this issue immediately and engage more strenuously in diplomatic efforts.