A prominent Myanmar political activist is in critical condition after enduring torture at the hands of junta forces during his arrest over the weekend, his family told RFA.<\/p>\n
Kyaw Min Yu, better known by his alias Ko Jimmy, had been a staunch opponent of the Feb. 1 coup that deposed Myanmar\u2019s democratically elected government and re-established military rule, only a decade after the feared army had partly receded to the barracks after five decades in control.<\/p>\n
His wife, Nilar Thein, told RFA\u2019s Myanmar Service that he had suffered a head injury during the arrest in Yangon\u2019s North Dagon township Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve learned that he\u2019s now at the military hospital and is in critical condition. Since the men who took him away were junta soldiers, we are expecting the worst-case scenario,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have seen in the past that many people who were arrested either died or were left with serious lifelong trauma because they were severely tortured. We have prepared ourselves for everything, mentally as well,\u201d said Nilar Thein, vowing to hold the junta responsible for what transpires.<\/p>\n
The junta on Feb. 13 charged Ko Jimmy with using his popularity to spread defamatory remarks on his social media accounts<\/p>\n
Ko Jimmy was a leader of the so-called 88-generation, a group of students who led the August 1988 uprising against the previous military regime that had run Myanmar, then known as Burma, since 1962, running the economy into the ground and creating a pariah state.<\/p>\n
Their protests led to reforms that eventually ushered in a brief period of democratic rule that ended with this year\u2019s coup.<\/p>\n
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told RFA he was not able to comment on Ko Jimmy\u2019s beatings or medical treatment.<\/p>\n
Prior to his recent arrest, Ko Jimmy was imprisoned from 1988 to 2005 for his political activities and again from 2007 to 2012, spending 21 years in prison.<\/p>\n
Ko Ko Gyi, another 88-generation leader who shared a cell with Ko Jimmy after the 1988 uprising, told RFA that Jimmy and his family were special figures in the pro-democracy movement in the nation of 54 million people.<\/p>\n
“I was very worried since I heard about his arrest. I also worry about his daughter. Throughout her life, she didn\u2019t have a chance to live together with both parents,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am worried that she might have a deep trauma as she has had to grow up with her aunts and grandmothers,\u201d said Ko Ko Gyi.<\/p>\n
Zeyar Lwin, a student leader, told RFA he believed Ko Jimmy would recover.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s been familiar with prisons and made lots of sacrifices since 1988. He was imprisoned and away from his family and children for many years,\u201d said Zeyar Lwin<\/p>\n
\u201cBut this time, he has to face not only prison but also torture. He will never betray any part of his cause because he has a strong will to oppose the dictatorship.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) released a statement Monday condemning the arrest and torture of Ko Jimmy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have witnessed this illegitimate military junta arrest political activists and anyone against them in brutal crackdowns. Many have been shot dead or brutally tortured to death. It is clear, the military is unlawfully committing crime against civilians as they wish,\u201d the AAPP said.<\/p>\n
The NGO said that the junta would be responsible for whatever happens to Ko Jimmy and called on the international community to give protection to those who have been wrongfully detained.<\/p>\n
According to AAPP statistics, the junta has arrested, charged, or sentenced 7032 people, and has killed 1199 people since the Feb. 1 coup.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Copyright \u00a9 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036Radio Free Europe–Copyright (c) 2015. RFE\/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A prominent Myanmar political activist is in critical condition after enduring torture at the hands of junta forces during his arrest over the weekend, his family told RFA.Kyaw Min Yu, better known by his alias Ko Jimmy, had been a staunch opponent of …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n