Journalist and opposition member Ohn Kyaing arrested again
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 2 October 2008 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Journalist and opposition member Ohn Kyaing arrested again, 2 October 2008, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/48e9b83b1e.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association call for the immediate release of well-known former journalist Ohn Kyaing, who was arrested at his home yesterday. A member of the National League for Democracy, the main opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi, he was freed in 2005 after spending 15 years in prison for writing "seditious pamphlets."
"Despite last month's release of about 9,000 detainees, including a handful of political prisoners, the military regime continues to arrest opposition members," the two organisations said. "Once again, a journalist and government opponent has been detained for no apparent reason. It will be an outrage if he is sent back to prison for helping Cyclone Nargis victims, as it would be punishing humanitarian activity."
NLD spokesman Nyan Win said Ohn Kyaing was arrested yesterday by police who went to his home. He told the Associated Press the reasons for the arrest were still not known, but he pointed that Ohn Kyaing had been very involved in efforts to help the survivors of Nargis, the cyclone that devastated Burma in May.
Now aged 64, Ohn Kyaing used to write articles under the pen-name of Aung Wint for such newspapers as Hanthawathi and Botahtaung, which fired him at the government's behest. He jointed the NLD after a long career in journalism and won a parliamentary seat in the 1990 elections, which were swept by the NLD but were never recognised by the military regime.
Arrested in September 1990 by the Military Intelligence Service, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison for "writing and distributing seditious pamphlets" and "threatening the security of the state." He was finally released on 3 January 2005.
U Win Tin, another former journalist and NLD supporter who was himself released just nine days ago after 19 years in detention, described Ohn Kyaing's arrest as "not unusual and something we have to expect." He added that Ohn Kyaing was "a close colleague, a good friend and a highly qualified man."
Blogger and comedian Zarganar and sports journalist Zaw Thet Htwe were previously charged with disturbing public order for helping Cyclone Nargis victims and criticising the government's relief efforts.
