Burma: Film festival to test promised freedom

January 2nd, 2012

A film festival featuring Burma’s leading artists and dissidents will test the regime’s commitment to reform. Wei Mar reports
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Zarganar thanks Index on Censorship for support

October 13th, 2011

Popular comic Zarganar was released from prison in Burma yesterday. His friend, the painter and performance artist Htein Lin managed to talk to him last night, and Zarganar passed on his thanks to Index on Censorship and all those who campaigned on his behalf

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Index welcomes release of Burmese comic

October 12th, 2011

Index on Censorship welcomes welcomes the release of Burmese comic Zarganar along with thousands of other prisoners.

Htein Lin, close friend of Zarganar and member of the Free Zarganar Campaign along with Index on Censorship and other supporters, said he was delighted at the news of the popular comedian’s release.

“It’s great news, we really appreciate it and it is a very positive sign.  Hopefully the new government will release more political prisoners very soon.  Zarganar came out with jokes making everybody laugh and very happy.”

Zarganar was imprisoned for speaking out against the military junta in its handling of the Cyclone Nargis crisis in May 2008.   The 6000 prisoners who will be released today include some journalists and monks, but there are many political activists still detained.

Zarganar is reported as saying “I am not happy because so many of my friends are still in prison.”

As part of our continued work with artists in Burmese diasapora, Index on Censorship co-hosted the first festival of Burmese Art, featuring a preview of ‘The Prison Where I Live” a film about Zarganar.

A profile of Zargana is featured in Beyond Bars, a 2010 issue of Index on Censorship magazine. Click here to subscribe

Burmese Arts Festival fundraiser

July 28th, 2010

On 14 July, 87-year-old Burmese author Nan Nyunt Swe died — but his son Zarganar, one of the country’s most popular comedians, was unable to attend his funeral, and may not even have been informed of his death. Zarganar is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence for criticising the government¹s handling of the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. Not only that, but since 2008 he has been held in a prison so far from his home that it effectively cut him off from contact with his family. Just last month the authorities felt it necessary to forbid his family from travelling the 1500 km to visit him.
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Burma: Free Zarganar!

April 29th, 2010

Supported by Index on Censorship, campaigners from across the UK and abroad are to converge on London’s Trafalgar Square on 3 May in support of Zarganar, Burma’s most famous comedian turned prisoner of conscience.
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