Free Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi is a well-known Burmese filmmaker who has been detained in Yangon’s Insein Prison since April 12, 2019 and is currently on trial facing charges of “online defamation” and “inciting mutiny” among members of the Armed Forces, called the Tatmadaw in Myanmar. He has been repeatedly denied bail since his detention, despite suffering from liver cancer.
In addition to his own prolific work in the Burmese cinema scene, Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi is also the founder of the Human Rights, Human Dignity International Film Festival and a Human Dignity Film Institute that has trained 36 Burmese filmmakers in the past six years. Since 2012, he has also been in the process of developing a documentary about Aung San Suu Kyi—Myanmar’s de facto leader, once-human rights champion, and 1991 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize—who has recently been accused of passively allowing the Tatmadaw to commit genocide against the Rohingya people in western Myanmar.
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi was arrested on April 12 after posting a series of criticisms on Facebook attacking the Tatmadaw’s political influence and military-drafted 2008 constitution. He was initially charged under Section 66(d) of the 2013 Telecommunications Act for “online defamation,” an offense which holds a maximum possible prison sentence of two years. Several days later, he was additionally charged under Section 505(a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code, which prohibits inciting members of the Tatmadaw to mutiny, or to otherwise disregard or fail in his duty. This charge also carries a maximum sentence of two years. Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi strongly rejects both charges, however, maintaining that “it has never been my intention to cause disunity in the Tatmadaw. My intention from the beginning has been for the constitution to be amended and for the Tatmadaw to stay out of politics.”
In addition to Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi’s unjust detention and trial, he also suffers from liver cancer. In early 2019, he underwent emergency surgery to remove a tumor and initially expected to be released on bail while his trial was pending so that he could continue to receive medical treatment. However, bail has been repeatedly denied and he has since been unable to see doctors for follow up appointments since the surgery, and thus is unable to know the status of the cancer.
Myanmar must immediately and unconditionally release Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi as he has committed no crime and urgently needs access to medical treatment. Please join The Voice Project in calling for his release.
