Winner of ‘Asia’s Nobel’ Prize Bo Kyi speaks out for Myanmar’s political prisoners

Bo Kyi, the joint secretary and co-founder of the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, outside of his office in Mae Sot, Thailand, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Credit: DVB)

Bo Kyi, the joint secretary and co-founder of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), has dedicated over two decades to advocating for human rights and documenting abuses against political detainees in Myanmar.

Recently named a recipient of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award—often recognized as Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize—Bo Kyi opened up to DVB about the worsening crisis in Myanmar’s prisons, the severe risks of ground-level documentation under military rule, and why releasing all political prisoners is the non-negotiable first step toward peace.

Reflecting on receiving this year’s Magsaysay Award, Bo Kyi expressed deep surprise and humility, emphasizing that the honor belongs entirely to the people of Myanmar and those being held behind bars by the regime.

“When the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation first reached out, I was included in the nomination—I was really surprised,” Bo Kyi told DVB.

“Before I was released from prison years ago, a friend who remained behind made a request: ‘After you get out, do something for us, because we feel forgotten.’ This award ensures that political prisoners are not forgotten. It belongs to the Burmese people and political prisoners who are still fighting against injustice, fighting for dignity, democracy, and human rights.”