Win Tin has a BA in English literature, modern history and political science (12 March 1930).
From 1950 to 1954, he was on the staff of Sarpay Beikman, then Jumbarton (1954-57) and then the daily Kyemon (1957-69). He became well known as a political commentator and regularly criticised the militarisation of the country and the corruption of its rulers. He then became editor of the daily Hanthawathi until it was banned in 1978. He was accused of attending a meeting of intellectuals at which a statement was approved criticising "the Burmese path to socialism" imposed by General Ne Win.
Win Tin was also an art critic, under the pen-name Baw Thit. He specialised in traditional Burmese art and also wrote about European painters, especially Gauguin, who he compared to the Burmese painter U Khin Maung, from Mandalay.
Win Tin was serving a 20-year sentence on charges including "anti-government propaganda." One of the reasons for his detention is his attempt to inform the United Nations of ongoing human rights violations in Burmese prisons. At 76 years of age, he is in a poor state of health, exacerbated by his treatment in prison, which has included torture, inadequate access to medical treatment, being held in a cell designed for military dogs, without bedding, and being deprived of food and water for long periods of time.
Since the start of 2006 he had not been able to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In 2001, Win Tin was awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize for his efforts to defend and promote and right to freedom of expression. That year, he was also awarded the World Association of Newspapers Golden Pen of Freedom Award.
He was freed on 23 September 2008, after serving 19 years imprisonment.
After his release from prison Win Tin made efforts to reorganise the NLD. He relaunched the weekly meetings of the party's Central Executive Committee which had been irregularly held since 2003. He also resumed a regular roundtable called "Youth and Future" which Aung San Suu Kyi has participated in the past. Win Tin visited family members of political prisoners to offer moral support.
From 1950 to 1954, he was on the staff of Sarpay Beikman, then Jumbarton (1954-57) and then the daily Kyemon (1957-69). He became well known as a political commentator and regularly criticised the militarisation of the country and the corruption of its rulers. He then became editor of the daily Hanthawathi until it was banned in 1978. He was accused of attending a meeting of intellectuals at which a statement was approved criticising "the Burmese path to socialism" imposed by General Ne Win.
Win Tin was also an art critic, under the pen-name Baw Thit. He specialised in traditional Burmese art and also wrote about European painters, especially Gauguin, who he compared to the Burmese painter U Khin Maung, from Mandalay.
Win Tin was serving a 20-year sentence on charges including "anti-government propaganda." One of the reasons for his detention is his attempt to inform the United Nations of ongoing human rights violations in Burmese prisons. At 76 years of age, he is in a poor state of health, exacerbated by his treatment in prison, which has included torture, inadequate access to medical treatment, being held in a cell designed for military dogs, without bedding, and being deprived of food and water for long periods of time.
Since the start of 2006 he had not been able to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In 2001, Win Tin was awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize for his efforts to defend and promote and right to freedom of expression. That year, he was also awarded the World Association of Newspapers Golden Pen of Freedom Award.
He was freed on 23 September 2008, after serving 19 years imprisonment.
After his release from prison Win Tin made efforts to reorganise the NLD. He relaunched the weekly meetings of the party's Central Executive Committee which had been irregularly held since 2003. He also resumed a regular roundtable called "Youth and Future" which Aung San Suu Kyi has participated in the past. Win Tin visited family members of political prisoners to offer moral support.
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