Locked up, then fired up: Bo Kyi’s fight for political detainees

Before Bo Kyi could fight for the freedom of political prisoners, he first had to endure imprisonment himself.

In August 1988, the Burmese activist was among the student protesters who were swept up in Myanmar's pro-democracy movement.

Massive demonstrations erupted across Myanmar, then known as Burma, amid growing resistance against the military junta. The protests culminated in a violent military crackdown on August 8, 1988, in what would become known as the "8888 Uprising."

Bo Kyi, now 61, was a graduating student majoring in Burmese literature at Rangoon University when the demonstrations erupted. At 20, he recalled joining the protests after witnessing the deaths of fellow students.

“They sacrificed their bodies because they want democracy and human rights. So, I have to continue. Their faces really remind me to do something and finish what we need to do.”

In 1990, Bo Kyi was arrested for his participation in the student-led movement — an experience that would change his life. During his three years in detention, he endured harsh prison conditions and learned about the history of repression and the abuses suffered by ethnic communities in Myanmar.

"Such kind of information from real history really reminded me that we need to change the political system. We need to build up [the] rule of law. We want the military to stay away from politics. Such kind of thing really motivated me for this," he said.

Decades later, Bo Kyi is among the three laureates of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award, widely regarded as Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

In conferring the award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation recognized his work with the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), an organization he co-founded to document political detentions and provide assistance to people imprisoned under Myanmar's military regime.

"His enduring commitment reflects extraordinary moral courage, personal sacrifice, and an unwavering belief that democracy and human dignity are always worth defending — and that even in the face of oppression, the truth must be told, justice must be pursued, and the freedom to believe must be upheld and defended at all costs," the foundation said.

Political imprisonment

During his three-year detention, Bo Kyi endured repeated interrogations, beatings, and torture.

Yet even in prison, he found ways to keep learning. To cope with the loneliness, he began studying English with a professor detained in a neighboring cell.

When guards were away, Bo Kyi would ask the professor to dictate English words and phrases. He memorized them and wrote them on the concrete floor using a shard of brick.

At one point, he even ate pages from a dictionary to keep them from being discovered by prison guards.

"I still continued studying English for two-and-a-half years in prison even though we were not allowed to possess any writing materials and reading materials," said Bo Kyi.

Documenting political prisoners

Prior to his release in 1993, his fellow political prisoners asked him to tell the outside world about the realities of the conditions inside Myanmar's prisons.

"Before I was released from prison, my colleagues who still remain in prison requested me to do something for them: let the people know, let others know about the prison situation in Myanmar," he said.

He took the request to heart and began documenting the conditions of political prisoners in Myanmar after his release, sharing information with the International Committee of the Red Cross and journalists.

Between his first and second detentions, he also attempted to return to university to finish his degree. He earned a living by teaching English to younger students, but the military closely monitored his movements and intimidated him, making it difficult for him to attend classes regularly.

The military also attempted to recruit him as an informant. Bo Kyi refused.

Instead, he demanded the release of all political prisoners and a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, leading to his second arrest.

"If you cooperate with the military, then you would be off their list. I do not want to send other colleagues to be in prison because of my freedom," he said.

Bo Kyi was released again in 1998. Unable to remain safely in Myanmar, he fled to the Thai border, to Mae Sot, where he eventually helped establish an organization dedicated to the people he had left behind in prison.

Starting AAPP

In 2000, Bo Kyi co-founded the AAPP with fellow former political prisoners. The organization documents cases of political arrests and detention and provides assistance to the detainees and their families.

"Burma is a small country, but full of prisons. Therefore, we cannot reach all [political prisoners]. We could reach around 5,000 political prisoners and their family members," said Bo Kyi.

AAPP's work has continued even after the February 2021 coup, documenting and verifying cases of arbitrary arrests, torture, and abuses perpetrated by the military junta against political detainees. They also provide financial assistance, food, and medical support to detainees and their families.

Beyond documenting political arrests, Bo Kyi said AAPP has also now expanded its work to include counseling, mental health programs, and human rights training.

"We have counseling teams, and our counselors are trained by a professor from Johns Hopkins University," he added.

Beyond Myanmar

For Bo Kyi, the struggle for political prisoners extends beyond Myanmar. He said people detained for their political beliefs, wherever they may be, deserve support in their pursuit of truth and justice.

"Political prisoners around the world are arrested wrongfully by their political enemies, or maybe so-called ruling, but they always stand for the truth and justice, wherever they are," said Bo Kyi.

"Wherever they are, it's not important. The most important thing is to stand on your belief, to stand on your cause, and also, always have that thinking to distribute something good to their society. Please keep on. Please fight on." – Rappler.com