Burmese journalist Sein Mar was released from a Malaysian prison into the custody of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on 24 June 2004.

According to UNHCR officials, the authorities released her on the basis of her refugee status, reuniting her with her seven-year-old daughter. Both Sein Mar and her daughter will resettle in Norway.

Sein Mar, editor of the newsletter Yaung Chee Oo, was arrested at a demonstration outside the Myanmar embassy on 17 May. She was held for over a month without being charged, along with 22 supporters of the Democratic Federation of Burma and the National League for Democracy. The remaining 22 supporters were released by the courts on 28 June, but immediately re-arrested.

Lawyers and the media only learned of Sein Mar’s release on 28 June when she did not appear in court.

The Centre for Independent Journalism would like to thank all those who lent their support to securing Sein Mar’s release.