Who Is U Win Tin?

U Win Tin, one of political mentors of Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, continues to serve his 20 years prison sentence. He is regularly offered freedom in exchange for a signed promise to give up all political activities. But Saya (Teacher) as his friends call him, has always refuse to cut such a deal and break his ties with National League for Democracy, which was cheated out of its landslide victory at the 1990 general elections.

He was convicted of 'subversion' and 'anti-government propaganda'. In 1996, he was held for 5 months in a dog-kennel at Rangoon's Insein prison. He has since had two heart attacks and lost most of his teeth. Now 75,he has been shuttling back and forth between his cell and the spartan prisoners' wing of Rangoon hospital for the past few years. To view the original source and to sign the petition for the release of Saya U Win Tin, please click here.