Cover Bo Kyi gave a briefing on the remaining political prisoners in Nay Pyi Daw in 2013 (Photo: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
Bo Kyi gave a briefing on the remaining political prisoners in Nay Pyi Daw in 2013 (Photo: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
Having survived torture, imprisonment, and exile in Myanmar, human rights defender Bo Kyi explains why protecting democracy cannot be left to politicians alone—and how forgotten voices drive real justice
In August 1988, Bo Kyi was a university student majoring in Burmese literature, expecting to graduate, when the military regime opened fire on his peers. Standing in the midst of the pro-democracy demonstrations that climaxed on August 8—widely known as the “8888” movement—he watched as fellow students were shot dead right in front of him within the university compound. Born on January 21, 1965, he had spent the previous years working at the Burma Port Authority, and he had never imagined going to prison, let alone dedicating his life to a perilous struggle against a military junta.
The violence he witnessed firsthand irrevocably changed the trajectory of his life. “I cannot forget their faces. I felt guilty; they sacrificed their bodies because they wanted democracy and human rights. So I said to myself, ‘I have survived. Therefore, I have to continue.’”
Read more: Why leaders should not personalise conflict, according to Ramon Magsaysay 2026 awardee Tommy Koh
Above After Bo Kyi’s release from prison in 1993, he joined the fundraising initiative called the ‘Movement’ for political prisoners in Burma in 1994 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
After Bo Kyi’s release from prison in 1993, he joined the fundraising initiative called the ‘Movement’ for political prisoners in Burma in 1994 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
The 68th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Festival Season centres on the theme “A World for All,” serving as a call to build a future grounded in shared humanity, inclusive progress and upheld dignity. Since 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation has honoured individuals and organisations addressing human development issues in Asia with courage and creativity. Embodying this legacy, Bo Kyi, a former political prisoner and human rights advocate from Myanmar, was announced as a recipient of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The foundation elected Bo Kyi for “his life’s work as a steadfast pursuit of truth, accountability and justice.”
Following a military coup in 1988, the junta promised multi-party elections but failed to materialise their promises, prompting further demonstrations. In March 1990, at the age of 24, Bo Kyi was arrested for the first time. During his interrogation, a military intelligence officer mocked him, stating he would wait for the elections from a cell, and upon release, he would be an embarrassment to his family.
“He said, I would be useless,” Bo Kyi noted. Accepting the reality of his detention, he was sentenced to three years and initially placed in an insane prison in Yangon before being transferred to Mandalay Central Prison. Refusing to let the isolation break him, he engaged in light exercises and taught himself English. Deprived of books or writing materials, he asked a professor held in the next cell to speak English sentences for him to memorise.
Read more: The 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award honours 3 Asian visionaries changing the world
Above Human Rights Council Geneva with the diplomats in 2011 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
Human Rights Council Geneva with the diplomats in 2011 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
After his release on January 21, 1993, he worked as a private English tutor for high school students. When he was eventually allowed to re-enter the university to complete his final year, he was about five years older than his classmates. Military intelligence constantly monitored him, instructing him not to attend classes regularly to prevent him from influencing the new generation of students.
When further demonstrations arose, the military pressured him to act as an informer and send the protesting students home, which he refused. Instead, Bo Kyi proposed that the military release all political prisoners and enter into a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi. The dialogue failed, and at the age of 30, he was arrested again and sentenced to five years. He chose to return to custody rather than sacrifice the freedom of others.
“I did not want to send other colleagues to prison because of my freedom,” he stated. “Instead, I had to go to prison. That was the best way for me.”
His second stint in detention only solidified his worldview. “Prison teaches a lot,” he explained. “Because when I was in prison, I had to learn a lot about how our ethnic Karen people were suffering, and how they received torture from the military.”
Above On May 18, 2016, the Vice Chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) visited the AAPP office (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
On May 18, 2016, the Vice Chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) visited the AAPP office (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
Following his second release in 1998, Bo Kyi fled across the Thai border to Mae Sot. In March 2000, alongside fellow former political prisoners, he co-founded the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), serving as its Joint Secretary. The organisation operates on the unwavering principle: “As long as political prisoners exist inside Burma, Burma will not be free.”
For over two decades, AAPP has served as a lifeline for those suffering under the regime. “Even though, for security reasons, we are living outside of Burma, our work and our networks are still inside,” Bo Kyi explained. “Therefore, through our networking, we can implement our activities inside the country.”
A critical pillar of AAPP’s advocacy along the Thai-Burma border focuses on deep humanitarian and psychological support. The trauma inflicted by the junta extends far beyond the prison walls, deeply affecting displaced communities.
Read more: Beyond excellence: how the Ramon Magsaysay Award inspires transformative leadership across Asia
Tigers always eat meat; tigers will not eat vegetables.
“We have counselling teams, and our counsellors are trained by a professor from Johns Hopkins University,” Bo Kyi noted. “We could do counselling in the Thailand-Burma border, especially to internally displaced persons and migrant workers.” Through this initiative, AAPP delivers essential mental health assistance to survivors of torture, released political prisoners and their families, operating secretly to avoid junta reprisals. Furthermore, AAPP lobbies stakeholders to ensure that mental health support is eventually integrated into national and regional health policies, addressing a historical gap left by previous administrations.
Inside Myanmar, AAPP alumni conduct human rights, documentation, and transitional justice training, equipping civil society, women’s groups and ethnic youth with the tools needed to combat authoritarianism. Despite severe financial constraints, AAPP’s reach remains extensive.
“Now in Burma, more than 20,000 political prisoners remain,” Bo Kyi stated. “We can reach 33 prisons and detention centres, and we can reach around 5,000 political prisoners and their family members.”
Above Bo Kyi meeting with the Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Dr Win Myat Aye, on December 9, 2016 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
Bo Kyi meeting with the Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Dr Win Myat Aye, on December 9, 2016 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
Bo Kyi and AAPP’s documentation efforts have become a critical resource for international media, diplomats and United Nations mechanisms, including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. His work is particularly vital following the military coup in February 2021, which resulted in the arrest of over 30,000 Burmese people and an estimated death toll ranging from 8,000 to 100,000.
In response to the junta’s claims of moving toward democracy, Bo Kyi dismissed the notion that the military could reform itself. “Tigers always eat meat; tigers will not eat vegetables,” he remarked. “They are from the same military institutions, so therefore, it is impossible to build up democracy by them.”
He has consistently called on ASEAN and the international community to look beyond business interests and fully implement the five-point consensus, while engaging with the National Unity Government and civil society rather than solely the military junta.
Above AAPP distributed COVID-19 protective supplies to prisoners at Pathein Prison on May 26 2020 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
AAPP distributed COVID-19 protective supplies to prisoners at Pathein Prison on May 26 2020 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
Over his career, Bo Kyi has received multiple honours, including the Human Rights Defender Award (2008) and the Alison Des Forges Award for extraordinary activism (2009) from Human Rights Watch, as well as the Swiss Foundation for Freedom and Human Rights Award in 2011. In 2023, he furthered his education through an Online Leadership Training programme with Harvest University.
He joins Singaporean diplomat Tommy Koh and Bangladeshi social entrepreneur Runa Khan as the distinguished recipients of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The awardees will be formally honoured on November 15, 2026 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila, Philippines.
Above During the Prison Reform Workshop with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ–NUG) in January 2026 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
During the Prison Reform Workshop with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ–NUG) in January 2026 (Image: courtesy of Bo Kyi via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
1 / 1
Reflecting on his life’s work, Bo Kyi remains anchored by a foundational belief. “We need to build on the truth, and we need to build a rule of law,” he asserted. “Everyone must be under the law. Now, all the leadership, they are the law. They do not want to abide by the law. That is a great challenge for justice.”
By preserving the stories of the forgotten and demanding accountability, Bo Kyi proves that human dignity and the freedom to believe must be upheld and defended at all costs.
NOW READ
From a humble town in Leyte to MIT: a science communicator on making science more accessible
Franz writes about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Art Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright. But above all this, this Aether main spends more time in Teyvat than anywhere else.
Curated for you
The stories, profiles, and cultural moments featured on our Instagram feed
