Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma) (; abbreviated AAPP or AAPPB) is an independent non-profit organisation founded by Burmese former political prisoners living in exile. Mainly staffed by ex-political prisoners, its main aims are to provide assistance for other Burmese political prisoners (those in prison and those who have been released), and to document news related to them. Its stated aims are “collecting information about political prisoners and prison conditions” and “giving assistance to political prisoners and their families, for example by providing food and medicines, or financial help to enable families to visit their loved ones in prison”. History AAPP was founded in the Thai-Burma border town of Mae Sot by on 23 March 2000, the anniversary of the arrest of 1988 student leader Min Ko Naing. Since then, the organization has been run by former political prisoners, with an office and museum dedicated to political prisoners, opening inside Burma in Rangoon 2012. A larger office and museum was opened inside Rangoon in March 2018. A smaller office and museum is also located in Mae Sot, Thailand. Political prisoners in Burma Freedom of expression is heavily curtailed in Burma, with the arbitrary use of laws such as the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act and high treason. There were 2,203 political prisoners in jails across Burma, including monks, students, elected members of parliament and lawyers during SPDC regime. Many had been convicted for expressing views different from the government or for taking part in protests peacefully. As of June 2018, there are currently 245 political prisoners Following the executions of four pro-democracy activists in July 2022, AAPP estimated that 2,114 people have been killed by military forces. Treatment of political prisoners in prison Democracy activists have reported undergoing torture, including electric shocks, rape, iron rods rubbed on their shins until the flesh rubs off, severe beatings and solitary confinement. In 2007, AAPP reported how prison hospitals become distribution centres for HIV/AIDS as prison patients were made to share needles and syringes for injections. Treatment of political prisoners after release Even after political prisoners are released, they continue to face ill treatment. The military intimidates and harasses ex-political prisoners in order to prevent them from participating political activities. Such activities are intensified closer to or on politically sensitive occasions, such as the anniversary of the 8888 Popular Uprising, where former political prisoners are arrested, interrogated and detained without reason. The military regime