What is a political prisoner?
Anyone who is locked up for speaking out against their government, for practicing their religion, or for their culture, race or gender is considered a political prisoner. A prisoner of conscience is a term sometimes used by Amnesty International to describe political prisoners who have used non-violent means to protest. It is a principle of Amnesty International to offer help to only political prisoners who have not used violence or force, regardless of their motivation, to protest. This is a sore point among some communities who believe that a political protester has a right to answer a violent government with violence.
Why is this an issue?
The United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified by every country in 1948, meaning that political, religious and cultural freedoms are supposed to be upheld by every country’s laws. However, political prisoners continue to be taken every day, with alarmingly large numbers of these arrests being legalised since 2001 by various anti-terrorism and anti-protest laws.
Which countries have political prisoners?
According to Amnesty, at some point in their history, every country has taken political prisoners, sometimes with the law’s consent, sometimes without. Some significant cases where political prisoners have been taken are discussed below.
North Korea: Countries with a dictatorship ruling commonly take hold of political prisoners. Political crimes in North Korea include emigration attempts, talking to family, or receiving money from family in South Korea. Practicing Christianity, or making commentary to anyone about their leader Kim Jong il are also good ways to get imprisoned. Prisoners are often beaten to near death, and unconfirmed reports of public executions of political prisoners came in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
China: Another dictatorship, the People’s Republic of China have been repressing protests and free speech for many years, the most famous example being the arrests and massacre at Tiananmen Square in 1989. China continues to use its political prisoners as hostages, often releasing a few prisoners just before foreign leaders visit in order to deflect criticism of their human rights. Journalist Gao Yu is one of many who have been release, recaptured later, and re-released when another dignitary was visiting. Aside from political commentary, being infected with HIV is a common reason for being jailed in China.
Myanmar: Formerly called Burma, Myanmar has a long history of military dictatorship. In 1988, a student protest for democracy led to the massacre of 3000 protesters and the jailing of over 2000 political prisoners. In 1998, more protesters were jailed. Prisoners are reportedly tortured, some to the point where they can no longer walk. Labour camps are common, and there are food and medicine shortages leading to outbreaks of Malaria.
Iran: The frequent use of the death penalty in Iran is usually reserved for murderers, but in 2006, Hojjat Zamani, a political prisoner, was executed. Other political prisoners were reportedly told by prison officials that they would be executed next if the UN attempted to interfere in Iran’s nuclear program.
Tunisia: The government has been going to town since the introduction of vague anti-terrorism laws in 2003. Peaceful protesters have been arrested and kept in poor conditions lacking proper medical care. There are many reports of torture, with some unable to stand afterwards. Humiliation, such as being dragged naked in front of other prison cells, and sexual assault have been reported.
Cuba: Communist dictator Roul Castro released four political prisoners in 2008 who had been accused of being American mercenaries. The release came directly after Cuba signed two UN human rights treaties. While the move has been seen as a positive step, 58 political prisoners are still in Cuban jails.
Australia: The history of fake charges being laid against Aboriginal Australians by police, and of police brutality and killings of aboriginal prisoners is well documented in Australia. These prisoners may not be considered ‘political’ because they have committed a legitimately punishable or violent crime. One example is Lex Wotton who protested aboriginal deaths in custody by rioting at the Palm Island police station. Many members of the community feel that Wotton, convicted in 2008, should have political prisoner status and be freed.
Australia has also a grand history of arresting and deporting protesters who happen to be from other countries. In 2005, peaceful protester and US citizen Scott Parkin was jailed for five days and then deported as a 'direct or indirect risk to Australian national security.' Likewise Dr Will Saunders was threatened with deportation when he painted ‘NO WAR’ on the Sydney Opera House with Australian David Burgess in 2003. The pair were sentenced to nine months of weekend jail for their peaceful protest.
America: The most recent political prisoners taken by America are the “war on terror” suspects imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay since 2002. Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the release of Guantanamo Bay prisoners, including Australia’s David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, who were released in 2007 and 2005 respectively. Guantanamo Bay operates outside the rules of the Geneva convention, engages in torture, including sexual torture and humiliation. President elect Obama has promised to close Guantanamo Bay but it is unclear what fate its prisoners will meet in American courts.
What’s being done?
Amnesty International formed in order to protect the rights of political prisoners. Other organisations such as the UN Human Rights Council and the International Red Cross also bring aid to political prisoners. These groups help provide legal representation, medical aid, and publicity for political prisoners.
How do I know this?
UN Human Rights Council website, ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ www.un.org/Overview/rights.html, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Amnesty International website, ‘Human rights called for 20th year of Tunisian president’s rule’, www.amnesty.org.au/hrs/comments/5146/, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Amnesty International website, ‘Ko Thet Win Aung, prisoner of conscience, dies in prison’ www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/112/, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Amnesty International website, ‘Cuba signs up for human rights’ www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/9887/, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Amnesty International website, ‘Iran: worrying trends in use of death penalty’ www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/234/, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Amnesty International website, ‘North Korea: Human rights concerns’ www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/304/, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Human Rights Watch website, ‘China’s game with political prisoners’ www.hrw.org/en/news/2003/12/05/chinas-game-political-prisoners, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
UN Human Rights Council website, ‘Human Rights Q and A’ www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/humanrights/qna/elsa.asp, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Time magazine online, Morrow L, ‘Who (and what) is a political prisoner?’ www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,943852-4,00.html, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
ABC News online, ‘Amnesty urges Burma to release 2,000 political prisoners, www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/05/2325171.htm , viewed Nov 27, 2008.
Rights Base website, ‘Australia’s political prisoners’ http://blog.rightsbase.org/2008/06/23/australias-political-prisoners/, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
The Australian news website,‘Palm Island rioter Lex Wotton gets six years in jail’, www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24616098-601,00.html, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
BBC news website, ‘Sydney protester faces deportation’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2884787.stm, viewed Nov 27, 2008.
