Political Prisoner Profile

AAPP CASE NO.: 0147

U Sandar Thiri (a.k.a. Zin Payit a.k.a.
NAME OF POLITICAL Myint Han)
PRISONER: (Note: “U” is a Burmese honorific title used for a mature man
in a senior position to convey respect)
GENDER: Male Ethnicity:
DATE OF BIRTH: Age:
RELIGION: Buddhist
PARENTS NAME: U Lu Tote
EDUCATION:
OCCUPATION: Monk and Former Political Prisoner
Damma Theingi Shwe Theim Monastery, Thingangyun
LAST ADDRESS:
Township, Rangoon Division
ARREST DATE: September 2007 PHOTO DATE: Nov 2009
SECTION OF LAW: Penal Code Sections 145, 147, 152. 295(a), and 505(b)
SENTENCING HISTORY: 10 years in November 2008
COURT HEARING:
NAME OF PRISON: Sittwe Prison, Arakan State
RELEASE DATE:
IMMEDIATE HEALTH CONCERNS:

CURRENT STATUS SUMMARY:

U Sandar Thiri (a.k.a. Zin Payit a.k.a. Myint Han) is a monk and former political prisoner who is now serving
a 10-year prison sentence for his involvement in the 2007 Saffron Revolution protests. (See details below.)

He was originally held at Insein Prison in Rangoon Division for over a year; however, on 21 November 2008
he was transferred to Sittwe Prison in Arakan State where he is currently incarcerated.

Sittwe Prison is approximately 950 kilometers (590 miles) away from his home in Rangoon. Transferring
political prisoners to distant prisons is one of the tactics used by the regime to further punish prisoners and
increase the burden on their families and friends who provide necessary medicines, food, and other support.

CAREER BACKGROUND:
U Sandar Thiri (a.k.a. Zin Payit a.k.a. Myint Han) is a former political prisoner and a Buddhist monk Damma
Theingi Shwe Theim Monastery at Thingangyun Township, Rangoon Division.

ARREST DETAILS:
U Sandar Thiri (a.k.a. Zin Payit a.k.a. Myint Han) was arrested in September 2007 as a result of his
participation in what became known as the Saffron Revolution.* U Sandar Thiri took part in peaceful
demonstrations both at Thayet Township in Magwe Division as well as in Rangoon. He was shot in his lower
part of leg during the protests, and he received treatment for his injury in Pegu Division. He was arrested
while returning to Rangoon in September 2007.
* The Saffron Revolution was named after the color of the monks’ robes who led many of the peaceful marches in
August and September of 2007. It was a multi-day series of demonstrations that spread throughout Burma to
protest the military regime’s economic mismanagement and the falling standard of living. In August 2007 the
regime abruptly removed fuel subsidies, causing fuel prices to skyrocket between 100% and 500% overnight. This
consequently led to a dramatic increase in the prices of transportation and general commodities. Throughout the
protests activists were arrested, and beginning on 26 September 2007 the military used force with a violent
crackdown on the protestors and the monks to end the demonstrations.

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DETAILS OF IMPRISONMENT:
In November 2008 U Sandar Thiri (a.k.a. Zin Payit a.k.a. Myint Han) was sentenced to ten (10) years
in prison under the following laws:
1. Penal Code, Section 145 – Joining or continuing in unlawful assembly, knowing it has been commanded
to disperse (2 years max.)
2. Penal Code, Section 147 – Punishment for rioting (2 years max.)
3. Penal Code, Section 152 – Assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot (3 years max.)
4. Penal Code, Section 295(a) –Acts intended to insult religious beliefs (2 years max.)
5. Penal Code, Section 505(b) – Statements conducing to public mischief (2 years max.)

*This profile was prepared by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) on 20 November 2009*

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