Mizzima
Less than 24 hours after his release from Myitkyina Prison in Kachin State as part of a junta amnesty, former Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) president Dr. Hkalam Samson was rearrested.
Dr. Hkalam Samson, who is renowned for his advocacy work dealing with ethnic minority rights and religious freedom in Myanmar, was released at 1:00 pm on 17 April, after spending over a year in prison, as part of a government prisoner amnesty.
Then, early on 18 April, Dr. Hkalam Samson was reportedly taken from his home in Myitkyina Town by at least 20 junta personnel. His wife was also allegedly detained during the incident, according to sources within the KBC, though this information has yet to be confirmed.
The reasons behind Dr. Hkalam Samson’s rearrest and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
He had previously been arrested at Mandalay International Airport by junta troops in December 2022 whilst on his way to receive medical treatment in Thailand.
Following a closed trial, he was sentenced, on 7 April 2023, to six years’ imprisonment on charges including Section 17 (1) of the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act, section 505 (a) of the penal code and offences under the counter-terrorism law.
Reverend Samson had been released as part of a prisoner amnesty by the junta that saw 3,303 prisoners, including a small number of political prisoners, released early by the junta, on 17 April 2024 to celebrate the Myanmar New Year.
Since the February 2021 coup a total of 26,534 people have been arrested and of those 20,342 remain in detention and 8,392 have been prosecuted and are serving prison sentences, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
