credit emg 9.april 2013
Five years after being released from prison, former political prisoner Win Tin has received a letter from police asking him to return his prison uniform.
Authorities asked Win Tin, also a journalist, to return the uniform on Thursday but he refused to give it back.
“I told them I would not give it back. If they take legal action, I will face it. The chief of Insein Township Police Force said he would fine me 2,000 kyats (US$23) if I don’t give back the uniform. I also refused to pay the fine. In the end, he said they would pay for me, but I had to sign to prove that I paid the fine. I turned this down too,” Win Tin said.
Win Tin has continued wearing his prison uniform since he was released from Insein Prison on September 23, 2008.
“I was told by director Zaw Win of the Correctional Department that I was released on July 6, 2005. But they put me in jail again. In 2008, authorities released me again. I didn’t believe them. That was why I came home with that uniform on me,” he explained.
He also said he was not free because colleagues remained behind bars.
“I will remain in prison until the Myanmar people enjoy complete freedom,” he said.
