Rights groups call for release, dropping of charges against detained student protesters

By Aung Htein 23 Nov 2020

Aung Htein | DMG
23 November 2020, Sittwe

Ten human rights organisations released a statement on Monday urging the immediate and unconditional release of students across the country who have been arrested for protesting rights abuses in Arakan State, with the joint communiqué also demanding the dropping of charges against them.

The November 23 statement is intended to call public attention to the detention of the students and to push the government to take these issues seriously, said Maung Saungkha, executive director of the freedom of expression group Athan, one of the statement’s signatories.

“Protesters have been arbitrarily arrested in connection with the Arakan conflict. Some protesters were sentenced to seven years in prison,” he added.

The human rights organisations, including international advocacy groups Fortify Rights and Human Rights Watch, also called for the restoration of full internet access in Arakan State and Paletwa Township, Chin State, as well as a review of several laws and statutes being used to prosecute the students.

Legal actions brought against the students have largely relied on the Penal Code and two other laws, of which the rights groups said: “Dubiously, authorities have charged students with creating ‘natural disasters’ as defined by the Natural Disaster Management Law — a reference to the classification of COVID-19 as a ‘natural disaster’. Authorities have also arrested and charged students under the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law, even where students engaged only in ‘sticker campaigns’ in which they disseminated flyers and attached signs to various public places.”

Maung Saungkha said the government’s imprisonment of student protesters violated freedom of expression.

“Protests were prosecuted in the court under various sections and sentenced the protesters to years in prison. This is completely unfair,” he said.

Three student leaders from the Arakan Students’ Union were arrested after staging a protest in front of the state government offices in Sittwe over human rights abuses in Arakan State on September 9.

Anti-war demonstrations and poster campaigns led by the All Burma Federation of Student Unions were also held in cities such as Mandalay, Yangon, Meikhtila and Monywa, at times bringing similar legal action against participants.

According to figures compiled by Athan, 61 people have been charged in connection with the Arakan protests, and up to 21 have been arrested and/or jailed so far.