Interview of newly-freed dissident comedian, Zarganar

Reporters Without Borders is posting a video interview with the comedian and blogger Zarganar, who was freed from Myitkyina prison on 12 October under a government amnesty. After more than three years in detention, Zarganar has clearly not abandoned his right to express his views freely. In this interview, he talks about his blog and the consequences of the entries he posted in it. He also talks about the political prisoners who have not been freed, including such bloggers and writers as Zaw Thet Htwe and Nay Phone Latt. Many journalists, bloggers and other prisoners of conscience were, like Zaw Thet Htwe and Nay Phone Latt, left out of the government amnesty. Democratic Voice of Burma’s 17 video journalists are all still held. As part of its “Free Burma VJ” campaign for the release of its 17 journalists, Democratic Voice of Burma has just published a legal analysis of the cases of five of them. It highlights abusive practices, violations of free expression and freedom of association, use of torture and use of legal ploys to crack down on the regime’s opponents. Click here for the full analysis.