The Free Burma VJ Campaign led a noisy and vibrant protest in front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok on 9 September to demand the release of jailed Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) video-journalist (VJ) Hla Hla Win. Members of The Best Friend, Amnesty International-Thailand, Reporters Without Borders, and several other organizations also participated.
In London over 100 protesters gathered at the Burmese Embassy, while similar events were also held in Paris and Geneva to urge the Burmese regime to take the concrete step of releasing all political prisoners in order to demonstrate whether is commitment to democratic reform is genuine.
Hla Hla Win turned 27 years old on 29 August. She was first arrested in September 2009, following the second anniversary of the 2007 monk-led Saffron Revolution, and was sentenced to 27 years in jail. The arrest took place as she was returning from a DVB reporting assignment in Pakokku township, Magwe division, where she had conducted interviews with Buddhist monks at a local monastery.
Dozens of participants wearing Hla Hla Win’s mask protested in front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok, chanting slogans and holding images of other jailed journalists and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. They called for the immediate release of the young journalist, as well as the release of all political prisoners in Burma, including prominent comedian Zarganar.
Aye Chan Naing, DVB Executive Director and Chief Editor, said: “There is no legal justification to arrest Hla Hla Win, and she should not have been arrested in the first place or spent a single day in jail. We ask the Burmese government to let her free immediately.”
“We can’t let the regime ruin Hla Hla Win’s life for interviewing a monk and working for DVB. That’s why the Free Burma VJ Campaign has organised this protest. We call on the Burmese government to release our 17 VJs serving unfair, lengthy prison sentences,” said Géraldine May, Free Burma VJ campaign coordinator.
The head of Asia-Pacific desk at Reporters Without Borders, Benjamin Ismaïl added: “Hla Hla Win is serving a 27-year jail sentence for trying to tell the world what was happening in Burma. She is a symbol of all those who, like her, are paying a high price for exercising their right to access information and to inform others.
“We urge the international community to reiterate its requests to the new Burmese government to release all the imprisoned reporters, including Democratic Voice of Burma’s video journalists, without delay.”
Reporters Without Borders’ Switzerland branch plans to frequently organize protests around Switzerland for Hla Hla Win until her release. Brett Solomon, Executive Director of Access, which has launched a special petition campaign for the release of Hla Hla Win and all political prisoners, said: “Thousands of people from around the world have put their name forward, calling on ASEAN to show leadership, and on the Burmese government to finally release Hla Hla Win and the political prisoners currently detained. Now is the time for action.”
During the protest in Bangkok, Géraldine May of the Free Burma VJ Campaign attempted to deliver to the Burmese ambassador in Thailand requesting the immediate release of Hla Hla Win. However, upon attempting to enter the embassy compound, the steel doors were shut on May. The Thai police present at the protest offered to deliver the letter to the ambassador on her behalf. The protesters left the embassy’s outer walls decorated with Aung San Suu Kyi posters, ‘Free Burma VJ’ stickers, and Hla Hla Win masks.
To show your support for the VJs, please sign the online petitions:
http://www.freeburmavj.org/petition
https://www.accessnow.org/page/s/release-hla-hla-now
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