{ "id": "R44804", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "R", "number": "R44804", "active": true, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov, EveryCRSReport.com", "versions": [ { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Policy", "retrieved": "2021-01-30T04:03:44.172710", "id": "R44804_11_2021-01-04", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2021-01-04_R44804_1834ee3f9d8cf73d11a680adea8916bf464719fd.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44804/11", "sha1": "1834ee3f9d8cf73d11a680adea8916bf464719fd" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2021-01-04_R44804_1834ee3f9d8cf73d11a680adea8916bf464719fd.html" } ], "date": "2021-01-04", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "R", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R44804", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Policy", "retrieved": "2021-01-30T04:03:44.172154", "id": "R44804_10_2020-05-26", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2020-05-26_R44804_5fe2c35fc01fc7cf766ae945bea296884cbee11a.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44804/10", "sha1": "5fe2c35fc01fc7cf766ae945bea296884cbee11a" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2020-05-26_R44804_5fe2c35fc01fc7cf766ae945bea296884cbee11a.html" } ], "date": "2020-05-26", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "R", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R44804", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 598689, "date": "2019-05-17", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T19:09:09.636667", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Policy", "summary": "Despite a campaign pledge that they \u201cwould not arrest anyone as political prisoners,\u201d Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) have failed to fulfil this promise since they took control of Burma\u2019s Union Parliament and the government\u2019s executive branch in April 2016. While presidential pardons have been granted for some political prisoners, people continue to be arrested, detained, tried, and imprisoned for alleged violations of Burmese laws. According to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma), or AAPP(B), a Thailand-based, nonprofit human rights organization formed in 2000 by former Burmese political prisoners, there were 331 political prisoners in Burma as of the end of April 2019. \nDuring its three years in power, the NLD government has provided pardons for Burma\u2019s political prisoners on six occasions. Soon after assuming office in April 2016, former President Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi took steps to secure the release of nearly 235 political prisoners. On May 23, 2017, former President Htin Kyaw granted pardons to 259 prisoners, including 89 political prisoners. On April 17, 2018, current President Win Myint pardoned 8,541 prisoners, including 36 political prisoners. In April and May 2019, he pardoned more than 23,000 prisoners, of which the AAPP(B) considered 20 as political prisoners. \nAung San Suu Kyi and her government, as well as the Burmese military, however, also have demonstrated a willingness to use Burma\u2019s laws to suppress the opinions of its political opponents and restrict press freedoms. The NLD-led government arrested two Reuters reporters who had reported on alleged murders of Rohingya by Tatmadaw soldiers, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone, in December 2017 and charged them with violating the Official Secrets Act of 1923. On September 3, 2018, the two reporters were sentenced to seven years in prison. Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone were granted a presidential pardon on May 7, 2019, after serving 511 days in prison. In addition, Aung Ko Htwe was sentenced to two years in prison with hard labor on March 28, 2018, following his August 2017 interview with Radio Free Asia about his allegations that he was forced by the Tatmadaw to become a \u201cchild soldier.\u201d \nThe Union Parliament has repealed or amended a few of the numerous laws that authorities use to arrest and prosecute people for political reasons, and further has passed new laws that some observers see as limiting political expression and protection of human rights. In addition, the Tatmadaw, which directly or indirectly control the nation\u2019s security forces (including the Myanmar Police Force), has not demonstrated an interest in ending Burma\u2019s history of political imprisonment. Tatmadaw leaders have brought multiple defamation cases against journalists who publish stories critical of Burma\u2019s military. \nThe Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act (H.R. 2327) would make it U.S. policy to support the immediate and unconditional release of \u201call prisoners of conscience and political prisoners in Burma,\u201d and require the Secretary of State to \u201cprovide assistance to civil society organizations in Burma that work to secure the release of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners in Burma.\u201d\nCongress may consider if and how to integrate concerns regarding political imprisonment into overall U.S. policy in Burma. Congress may also choose to assess how other important issues in Burma should influence U.S. policy, including efforts to end the nation\u2019s ongoing low-grade civil war, the forced deportation of more than 700,000 Rohingya from Rakhine State, and prospects for constitutional and legal reform designed to establish a democratically elected civilian government that respects the human rights and civil liberties of all Burmese people.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44804", "sha1": "e0cccf921e5b538f028618113e79ee1480631a49", "filename": "files/20190517_R44804_e0cccf921e5b538f028618113e79ee1480631a49.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44804_files&id=/1.png": "files/20190517_R44804_images_87733718f82ed47206138898659c70c2e3c68574.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44804_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190517_R44804_images_24edd4981a6996c1d6b7a18f1034b13c5e6e8fa8.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44804", "sha1": "8fbe910fb37c772dcf638a1701b6ccbaf2bc00b3", "filename": "files/20190517_R44804_8fbe910fb37c772dcf638a1701b6ccbaf2bc00b3.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4931, "name": "South & Southeast Asia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 585735, "date": "2018-09-24", "retrieved": "2019-04-18T13:43:29.945108", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Policy: In Brief", "summary": "Despite a campaign pledge that they \u201cwould not arrest anyone as political prisoners,\u201d Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) have failed to fulfil this promise since they took control of Burma\u2019s Union Parliament and the government\u2019s executive branch in April 2016. While presidential pardons have been granted for some political prisoners, people continue to be arrested, detained, tried, and imprisoned for alleged violations of Burmese laws, some dating back to British colonial rule. \nAccording to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma), or AAPP(B), a Thailand-based, nonprofit human rights organization formed in 2000 by former Burmese political prisoners, there were 275 political prisoners in Burma as of the end of July 2018. \nDuring its two years in power, the NLD government has provided pardons for Burma\u2019s political prisoners on three occasions. Soon after assuming office in April 2016, former President Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi took steps to secure the release of nearly 235 political prisoners. On May 23, 2017, former President Htin Kyaw granted pardons to 259 prisoners, including 89 political prisoners. On April 17, 2018, current President Win Myint pardoned 8,541 prisoners, including 36 political prisoners. \nAung San Suu Kyi and her government, however, also have demonstrated a willingness to use Burma\u2019s laws to suppress the opinions of its political opponents and restrict press freedoms. The NLD-led government arrested two Reuters reporters who had reported on alleged murders of Rohingya by Tatmadaw soldiers, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone, in December 2017 and charged them with violating the Official Secrets Act of 1923. The two reporters allegedly were given \u201csecret documents\u201d by Myanmar Police officers. Despite evidence that the documents had been given to the reporters as part of a police \u201csting operation,\u201d on September 3, 2018, the judge sentenced the two reporters to seven years in prison. In addition, Aung Ko Htwe was sentenced to two years in prison with hard labor on March 28, 2018, following his August 2017 interview with Radio Free Asia about his allegations that he was forced by the Tatmadaw to become a \u201cchild soldier.\u201d \nThe Union Parliament has repealed or amended a few of the numerous laws that authorities use to arrest and prosecute people for political reasons, and further has passed new laws that some observers see as limiting political expression and protection of human rights. In addition, the Tatmadaw directly or indirectly control the nation\u2019s security forces (including the Myanmar Police Force) and the Tatmadaw\u2019s leadership has not demonstrated an interest in ending Burma\u2019s history of political imprisonment. \nCongress may consider these issues when it examines U.S. policy toward Burma, and if and how to integrate concerns regarding political imprisonment into overall policy. Congress may also choose to assess how other important issues in Burma should influence U.S. policy, including efforts to end the nation\u2019s ongoing low-grade civil war, the forced deportation of more than 700,000 Rohingya from Rakhine State, and prospects for constitutional and legal reform designed to establish a democratically elected civilian government that respects the human rights and civil liberties of all Burmese people.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44804", "sha1": "418c8c3ee9f31fd21f196fbe6a1de49a748ccfc2", "filename": "files/20180924_R44804_418c8c3ee9f31fd21f196fbe6a1de49a748ccfc2.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44804_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180924_R44804_images_87733718f82ed47206138898659c70c2e3c68574.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44804_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180924_R44804_images_cc9e63813b389bb41ac8d8609768ff4cd55a0dfb.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44804", "sha1": "f472e85b22f64c6453f3f462c1149a65191c6ccd", "filename": "files/20180924_R44804_f472e85b22f64c6453f3f462c1149a65191c6ccd.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4931, "name": "South & Southeast Asia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 461790, "date": "2017-06-06", "retrieved": "2017-08-22T14:28:12.784694", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Policy: In Brief", "summary": "With Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) in control of Burma\u2019s Union Parliament and the government\u2019s executive branch, prospects may have improved for ending the arrest, detention, prosecution, and imprisonment of political prisoners in Burma, a reality which has overshadowed U.S. policy toward Burma for more than 25 years. Burma\u2019s military, or Tatmadaw, however, may not support the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Burma, and potentially has the power to block such an effort.\nThe 115th Congress may have an opportunity to influence Burma\u2019s future efforts to address political prisoner issues. Whether by providing technical or other forms of assistance to address the underlying causes of political imprisonment, or by restricting relations with Burma until political prisoners have been released, Congress potentially could influence the behavior of the NLD-led government and the Tatmadaw with respect to political prisoners. \nAccording to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma), or AAPP(B), a Thailand-based, nonprofit human rights organization formed in 2000 by former Burmese political prisoners, there were 305 political prisoners in Burma as of the end of April 2017. On the eve of Burma\u2019s second \u201c21st Century Peace Conference,\u201d which brought together representatives of Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s government, the Burmese military and some of the nation\u2019s ethnic armed groups in Naypiytaw, on May 24-29, 2017, President Htin Kyaw granted pardons to 259 prisoners, including 80 political prisoners. Following the pardons, 40 political prisoners remained in prison, and over 150 were awaiting trial for their political activities. Under various laws, some dating back to British colonial rule, new political prisoners continue to be arrested by Burma\u2019s security forces. \nSeveral factors complicate the issue, starting with unsuccessful efforts to establish a formal definition of political prisoner during the previous Thein Sein administration (2011-2015). Also, the Union Parliament has repealed or amended only a few of the laws that authorities use to arrest and prosecute people for political reasons, and further has passed new laws that some observers see as limiting political expression and human rights. In addition, the Tatmadaw directly or indirectly control the nation\u2019s security forces, including the Myanmar Police Force and, the Tatmadaw\u2019s leadership has not demonstrated an interest in ending Burma\u2019s history of political imprisonment. \nThe 115th Congress may consider these issues when it examines U.S. policy toward Burma, and if and how to integrate concerns regarding political imprisonment into overall policy. Congress may also choose to assess how other important issues in Burma should influence U.S. policy, including efforts to end the nation\u2019s ongoing low-grade civil war; ethnic tensions between the Rakhine and the Rohingya in Rakhine State; and prospects for constitutional and legal reform designed to establish a democratically-elected civilian government that respects the human rights and civil liberties of all Burmese people.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44804", "sha1": "695dd252df5f22b3c028ce9efd60a25be17c82a8", "filename": "files/20170606_R44804_695dd252df5f22b3c028ce9efd60a25be17c82a8.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44804_files&id=/0.png": "files/20170606_R44804_images_87733718f82ed47206138898659c70c2e3c68574.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44804", "sha1": "b4080d6fc6ac49b5555c0cb5ac3b2815dc62eecd", "filename": "files/20170606_R44804_b4080d6fc6ac49b5555c0cb5ac3b2815dc62eecd.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4931, "name": "South & Southeast Asia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 460151, "date": "2017-03-30", "retrieved": "2017-04-04T20:03:05.213834", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Policy: In Brief", "summary": "With Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) in control of Burma\u2019s Union Parliament and the government\u2019s executive branch, prospects may have improved for ending the arrest, detention, prosecution, and imprisonment of political prisoners in Burma, a reality which has overshadowed U.S. policy toward Burma for more than 25 years. Burma\u2019s military, or Tatmadaw, however, may not support the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Burma, and potentially has the power to block such an effort.\nThe 115th Congress may have an opportunity to influence Burma\u2019s future efforts to address political prisoner issues. Whether by providing technical or other forms of assistance to address the underlying causes of political imprisonment, or by restricting relations with Burma until political prisoners have been released, Congress potentially could influence the behavior of the NLD-led government and the Tatmadaw with respect to political prisoners. \nAccording to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma), or AAPP(B), a Thailand-based, nonprofit human rights organization formed in 2000 by former Burmese political prisoners, there were 292 political prisoners in Burma as of the end of February 2017. Under various laws, some dating back to British colonial rule, new political prisoners continue to be arrested by Burma\u2019s security forces. \nSeveral factors complicate the issue, starting with unsuccessful efforts to establish a formal definition of political prisoner during the previous Thein Sein administration (2011-2016). Also, the Union Parliament has repealed or amended only a few of the laws that authorities use to arrest and prosecute people for political reasons, and further has passed new laws that some observers see as limiting political expression and human rights. In addition, the Tatmadaw directly or indirectly control the nation\u2019s security forces, including the Myanmar Police Force, and the Tatmadaw\u2019s leadership has not demonstrated an interest in ending Burma\u2019s history of political imprisonment. \nThe 115th Congress may consider these issues when it examines U.S. policy toward Burma, and if and how to integrate concerns regarding political imprisonment into overall policy. Congress may also choose to assess how other important issues in Burma should influence U.S. policy, including efforts to end the nation\u2019s ongoing low-grade civil war; ethnic tensions between the Rakhine and the Rohingya in Rakhine State; and prospects for constitutional and legal reform designed to establish a democratically elected civilian government that respects the human rights and civil liberties of all Burmese people.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44804", "sha1": "005ec3b764971ab0c0166e870d08d61a7902535e", "filename": "files/20170330_R44804_005ec3b764971ab0c0166e870d08d61a7902535e.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44804", "sha1": "e435a40c8ab1a4dfbbc8c338b8c673bb1484d425", "filename": "files/20170330_R44804_e435a40c8ab1a4dfbbc8c338b8c673bb1484d425.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4931, "name": "South & Southeast Asia" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Asian Affairs", "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security" ] }