Friday, September 16, 2011

Release ABFSU political prisoner with cancer: NGO

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Friday, 16 September 2011 17:09 Myo Thant

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP-B) has urged the Burmese government to release Zaw Lin Tun, a learing member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, who suffers from stomach cancer and is serving a 20-year prison term.

Currently detained in Insein Prison in Rangoon, Zaw Lin Tun has been imprisoned since September 2003. He suffers from stomach cancer, hepatitis, kidney stones and a heart condition, and he is not able to walk properly, according to an AAPP-B statement released on Friday.

“Since July, his health began to fail. But, he was not sent to a hospital outside the prison until September 1.  Insein Township Hospital gave him a medical check up and found he had stomach cancer,” the statement said.

Zaw Lin Tun was arrested for reorganizing the All Burma Federation of Students Union (ABFSU), a student underground group, and sentenced to 20 years in prison under the Emergency Provisions Act, Unlawful Association Act and Immigration Act.

On September 9, U Htay, a friend, made an appeal to President Thein Sein for his release on humanitarian grounds, but there has been no reply, according to the statement.

There are about 2,000 political prisoners in jails across Burma. In Insein Prison, there are 164 political prisoners who are in poor health, according to the AAPP-B.

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