Re-arrest of Burmese dissident U Win Htein ( from Amnesty International )

Released prisoner rearrested in Myanmar


U Win Htein © Amnesty International

26 September 2008

Amnesty International confirmed on Friday that one of the seven prisoners of conscience freed this week, U Win Htein, was re-arrested a few hours after his release. He was released from Kathar prison in Sagaing Division in north-western Myanmar on Tuesday.

U Win Htein was picked up by police officers in a guest house in the town of Kathar where he was staying for the night before catching a boat to Mandalay the following morning to meet his wife.

U Win Htein is now back in Kathar prison. It is not known why he was re-arrested or how much longer he will remain imprisoned.

Amnesty International has said that the re-arrest of U Win Htein illustrates that there is no policy change by the Myanmar government to free political prisoners.