Burmese journalist Ko Minn Kyaw Minn, who was abducted by unknown persons yesterday, was freed by his captors late last night after a 12-hour ordeal.

He told malaysiakini that he had been released by his assailants at about 10pm near Kajang, where he lives.

Looking tired and weak when met this morning, the 26-year-old Burmese activist complained of a severe headache due to repeated blows to his head inflicted by his captors whom he claimed included at least two Malaysians.

Minn Kyaw was nabbed by three men unknown to him at about 9.30am yesterday while he was on his way to the Kuala Lumpur International airport to cover the arrival of Burmese Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt

"I was also supposed to attend a press conference by Khin Nyunt which was scheduled to be held at 12pm at Wisma Putra," said Minn Kyaw, adding he was with his Malaysian wife at the time when his car was forced off the road by two other vehicles.

"After they handcuffed and dragged me out of my car, they forced me into a white Proton Wira and hooded me. They then drove around for about an hour before stopping," he said

Five interrogators

At the unknown location, he said he was taken into a container where his interrogation began.

"They asked me questions regarding my activities here and also who was funding my Burmese pro-democracy movement," he said. "When I refused to answer the questions, they slapped and punched me."

He said he became nauseous as the ordeal progressed but was denied food and drink.

"I pleaded with them to bring me some water at least but they refused to," he recalled.

Minn Kyaw claimed that five persons took turns to interrogate and assault him including the two Malaysians and a Burmese woman.

Yesterday his wife Yassra Sahril told malaysiakini that she suspected her husband had been abducted by Malaysian Special Branch police officers. The police, however, have rejected the accusation and denied any involvement in the abduction.

Minn Kyaw said that the night before his abduction, he had received a call from a man identifying himself as a Special Branch officer and who asked questions similar to those asked by his captors.

Suhakam meeting

Registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kuala Lumpur, Minn Kyaw said that he had met with Shinji Kubo ( right ), the UNHCR protection officer, this morning but was unable to obtain any guarantee of protection.

"Kubo informed me that the Malaysian government was responsible for my safety here and not the UNHCR, which would only get involved if I were to be deported," he said.

When contacted, Kubo declined to comment saying that he preferred to allow investigations to take their course.

Meanwhile, Myint Thein Win, second secretary at the Burmese embassy in Kuala Lumpur said he was unaware of the abduction and release of Minn Kyaw.

"The embassy will not investigate the case as it is not important. We know who this character (Minn Kyaw) is. He has been involved in demos at the embassy," he added.

Myint Thein said it was also normal procedure for extra security to be in place during visits of Burmese leaders.

Minn Kyaw hoped to meet with representatives from Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) tomorrow morning to lodge a complaint.

A former student activist in Burma, Minn Kyaw is the editor of a fortnightly magazine, Burma Media Link , which is circulated in Malaysia. The magazine supports the cause of detained Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

He is also the Malaysian correspondent for a Burmese news website, hosted by the Burmese Media Association, bma-online .