Former ABFSU leader released from prison after serving full sentence

Lin Htet Naing, a former leader of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, was released from Myaungmya Prison in Ayeyarwady Region on Wednesday after serving his full sentence, according to wife. Better known to fellow activists as James, he was arrested by the regime at a teahouse in Yangon’s Botahtaung Township on June 18, 2022 and subsequently sentenced to five years in prison under Section 52b of the Counter-Terrorism Law and three years under Section 505a of the Penal Code for incitement. His wife, Phyoe Phyoe Aung, told Myanmar Now that he was released after receiving an amnesty for his incitement charge and after completing his sentence under Section 52b. “He was prosecuted and sentenced in two cases, 505a and 52b. When the 505a charges were dropped, one case was cleared. Once that charge was removed, his time served was applied toward the other charge. So we can say he was released because he served the full term for Section 52b,” she said. James was released after serving nearly four years behind bars, at Yangon’s Insein Prison and Ayeyarwady’s Myaungmya Prison. On October 19, 2022, while still being held at Insein Prison, a bomb went off at the office where parcels for prisoners were delivered. His mother, Kyi Kyi Myint, who was there to drop off a care package for him, was killed in the blast. It remains unknown to this day which group was responsible for that explosion, which also claimed the lives of five other civilians and three members of the prison’s staff. Phyoe Phyoe Aung added that James has expressed a desire to visit his mother's grave in Yangon to pay his respects. He is also suffering from some health issues, she said. “Before he was moved from Insein to Myaungmya, he faced a health problem related to his mouth. There was an issue where his oral muscles could not contract or move properly,” she explained. “Since he was released from a regional prison, he is still in the area for now. Once he returns to Yangon, he will definitely go to his mother’s grave,” she added. Since seizing power in 2021, Myanmar’s regime has used incitement and terror charges to imprison tens of thousands of activists opposed to its rule.

Former ABFSU leader released from prison after serving full sentence

The prominent activist’s mother was delivering a care package for him when she was killed by a blast at Insein Prison in late 2022

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