Hundreds freed in Myanmar
In new tactic, protesters’ strike is ‘loudest scream’ AP journalist is released from detention after 3 weeks
YANGON, Myanmar — Hundreds of people imprisoned for demonstrating against last month’s coup in Myanmar were released Wednesday, a rare conciliatory gesture by the military that appeared aimed at placating the protest movement.
Witnesses outside Insein Prison in Yangon saw busloads of mostly young people, looking happy with some flashing the three-finger gesture of defiance adopted by protesters. State-run TV said a total of 628 were freed.
Myanmar’s security forces have cracked down violently on protests against a Feb. 1 coup that reversed a decade of progress toward democracy in the Southeast Asian country and ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says that at least 275 people have been killed in the crackdown. Thousands more have been arrested, and more than 2,000 remain in custody or have charges against them outstanding.
Wednesday’s release was an unusual overture by the military, which so far has seemed impervious to both internal pressure from protests and outside pressure from sanctions.
In the face of an increasingly brutal crackdown, demonstrators tried a new tactic Wednesday that they dubbed a silence strike, calling on people to stay home and businesses to close for the day.
The prisoners released appear to be the hundreds of students detained in early March.
One lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity because she said she feared drawing attention from the authorities, said all those released were arrested March 3. She said only 55 people detained in the protests remained in the prison, and it is likely they will face charges under a law that carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.
Meanwhile, messages online urged people to stay home Wednesday in protest — rather than flooding the streets as they have in the past — saying silence is “the loudest scream.”
The messages explained the strike’s purpose was to honor the movement’s fallen heroes, to allow protesters to recharge and to contradict the junta’s claims that “everything is back to normal.”
The extent of the strike was difficult to gauge, but social media users posted photos from cities and towns showing streets empty of activity save for an occasional stray dog. Some protesters did go out to release red balloons with leaflets attached.
The new tactic was employed after an extended onslaught of violence from security forces.
Local media reported that a 7year-old girl in Mandalay, the country’s second-biggest city, was among the latest victims Tuesday. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners included her in its list of fatalities.
YANGON, Myanmar — Thein Zaw, an Associated Press journalist who was arrested more than three weeks ago while covering a protest against the coup here, was released from detention Wednesday.
Thein Zaw, who was visibly thinner than before his detention, waved to photographers and smiled as he left Yangon’s Insein Prison, notorious for decades for holding political prisoners.
He said the judge in his case announced at a court hearing that all charges against him were being dropped because he was doing his job at the time of his arrest.
“Thanks to all who tried so hard for my release,” he said. “But one thing that upsets me is that there are some people who are still inside, and I hope that they can get out as soon as possible.”
He also said he was looking forward to seeing his family.
Lawyer Tin Zar Oo said she was ecstatic when the judge announced his release.
“I was so happy. Thein Zaw looked at me, and I was even at a loss for words when they asked me if I had anything to say,” she said. “I hugged Thein Zaw, and we both cried with joy.”
Thein Zaw was arrested as he was photographing police, some of them armed, charging down a street at anti-coup protesters. A video shows that although he stepped to the side of the street to get out of their way, several police rushed over and surrounded him. One put him in a chokehold as he was handcuffed and then taken away.
He was charged with violating a public order law that carries a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment. He was one of nine media workers taken into custody during a Feb. 27 street protest in Yangon, the country’s largest city, and had been held without bail.
About 40 journalists have been detained or charged since the Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Roughly half remain behind bars.
Authorities also have arrested thousands of protesters since the takeover as part of an increasingly brutal crackdown. On Wednesday, more than 600 demonstrators were released, a rare conciliatory gesture by the military that appeared aimed at placating the protest movement.
The AP and many press freedom organizations have called for the release of detained members of the press.
“The Associated Press is deeply relieved that AP journalist Thein Zaw has been freed from prison in Myanmar,” said Ian Phillips, AP vice president for international news. “Our relief is tempered by the fact that additional journalists there remain detained. We urge Myanmar to release all journalists and allow them to report freely and safely on what is happening inside the country.”