Rights groups have expressed concern that 14 Burmese activists detained by the police for holding a protest to mark democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday may be deported.

They also fear that if the activists are forcibly returned, they would face persecution by the Burmese military junta.

burma myanmar aung san suu kyi birthday malaysia 250609 02 They were arrested last Friday and had their musical instruments confiscated before the start of a rally which was organised by the opposition parties.

The police also mounted road blocks in an attempt to stop the celebration while riot police were called in to disperse the group of around 40 people, forcing the demo to be cancelled.

B Renuka, a human rights lawyer, told AFP that the activists had been detained by immigration.

"They have been handed (over by police) to immigration authorities pending investigations," she said.

Tah Moon Hui, coordinator with rights group Suaram, told AFP that lawyers and UN officials have no access to the detainees.

"If they are being handed over to the immigration department, we fear that they could be deported. They may face political persecution.

burma myanmar aung san suu kyi birthday malaysia 250609 01 "The police should release them immediately as everyone should be entitled to the freedom of assembly and expression. The event was a special one because it is a celebration for Aung San Suu Kyi's 64th birthday," he added.

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 13 of the past 19 years in detention and is now being held in Rangoon's notorious Insein Prison during her trial for a bizarre incident in which an American man swam to her home.

She faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

Her birthday last Friday was marked with protests from around the world, as activists took to the Internet and staged worldwide protests to call for her release and an end to her trial.

Respect their rights

In a related development, the Bangkok-based Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) also denounced the continued detention of the 14 refugees and asylum seekers.

"These Burmese detainees may face a sentence of up to six strokes of whipping, a punishment tantamount to torture on top of a fine of RM10,000 and a prison sentence of up to five years if they are convicted for entering the country illegally," said Yuyun Wahyuningrum, East Asia program manager of Forum-Asia.

"As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Malaysia should respect the right to seek political asylum and their right to freedom of expression and assembly.

We call on the Malaysian government to allow UNHCR to conduct refugee status registration of the five detainees who are yet to be registered," said Yuyun in a stateemnt to Malaysiakini .

-AFP