The following video of an interview with Aung Khaing Min of the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners Burma (AAPPB) has been edited for time and content. A transcript of the interview conducted by Ryota Jonen, senior manager of the World Movement, is included.

Ryota: What is the current situation regarding individual freedoms in Burma?

Aung: Okay, inside Burma, technically, there are no freedoms, especially freedom of expression, assembly, and association.  There are many media workers or journalists in prison inside Burma because they work for freedom of expression. 

And there are many other political activists imprisoned under those freedoms, especially the Unlawful Association Act, freedom of association.  And with regards to freedom of assembly in Burma, gatherings of more than five people are not allowed, prohibited.  So if you gather more than five people, you’ll be arrested and imprisoned.  So, there are 423 political prisoners who were charged under the Unlawful Association Act related to freedom of association.

Ryota: Why were you imprisoned by the Military Junta in Burma?

Aung: In 1996, a huge student demonstration broke out in Burma, and I became an elected student leader while I was studying at Rangoon University, majoring in political science, during my senior year. We asked for a legal student union and for freedom and democracy in Burma, which earned me seven years imprisonment.  So, I was in prison from 1997 to 2002.

Ryota: How many political prisoners are there in Burma?

Aung: Right now there are 2,061 political prisoners in prisons inside Burma.

Ryota: Is the number of political prisoners increasing or decreasing?

Aung: Well, it’s still the same.  Still the same means that some were released and some were arrested, so yeah, probably the same.

Ryota: Has the situation changed since last year’s election?

Aung: No.  Torture is still ongoing.  Malnutrition and maltreatment and transfers to remote prisons are still the same.  Actually, there are 157 political prisoners in dire health situations, and they were denied of their health care.  So, it’s still the same.

Ryota: What does your organization do to protect those political prisoners and address the issues of the severe environment these political prisoners are working in?

Aung: AAPPB is working for the release of all political prisoners unconditionally and speedily.  For the meantime, AAPPB works for the improvement of prison situations and raises awareness of the political situation and the prisoners’ situation – torture, malnutrition, and maltreatment inside prisons – and to protect political prisoners’ rights.  And, we also help families of political prisoners and children of political prisoners to go to school.  And, we work with the international community to raise awareness of political prisoner issues.

Ryota: How does working with organizations in the region help your campaign?

Aung: Especially for political prisoners’ release campaigns we work with international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and some other regional organizations.  We launched political prisoner release campaigns.  We work with other regional organizations to raise awareness about what is really happening inside Burma, what the political prisoners are really suffering.