YANGON, Myanmar — Lin Htet Naing, a prominent political activist and former central committee member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), has been released from prison, his family confirmed on Wednesday.
Widely known by his alias “Ko James,” his release was announced on social media by his wife, Ma Phyo Phyo Aung, a fellow high-profile activist. His freedom follows nearly four years of detention under the current military administration.
Ko James has long been a thorn in the side of successive administrations in Myanmar. He was arrested by security forces in Yangon on June 18, 2022, amidst a widespread crackdown on dissent following the 2021 military coup.
Prior to his most recent arrest, he had been charged under the contentious Section 505(b) of the Penal Code in March 2021—a law frequently used by the authorities to silence critics and anti-coup protesters.
His history of incarceration dates back over a decade. In 2015, he was a key leader in the nationwide student protests against the National Education Law. Under the administration of then-President Thein Sein, he faced numerous charges related to his leadership in the movement. More recently, in August 2020, he was sentenced to six months in prison under Section 468, eventually being released from Insein Jail in January 2021, just weeks before the coup took place.
The release of Ko James is seen as a significant moment for the student movement, which has remained a core pillar of the resistance against military rule. Throughout his multiple stints in prison, he has remained a symbol of the struggle for academic freedom and democratic reform in Myanmar.
While his release brings relief to his family and supporters, thousands of other political prisoners remain behind bars in jails across the country. Human rights organizations continue to call for the unconditional release of all those detained for opposing the 2021 coup, as the nation remains gripped by a civil war that shows no sign of resolution.
Neither the military authorities nor the Prisons Department have issued an official statement regarding the specifics of his release. It remains unclear whether any conditions have been attached to his freedom.
