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San San Nweh

b. 1953

Burmese dissident writer

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About San San Nweh

Born 1953. San San Nweh is a Myanmar journalist and writer.

San San Nweh (, ; or San San Nwe) is a Burmese writer and journalist. She was jailed for nearly seven years (1994–2001) by the Burmese military junta for her "anti-government intentions". San San Nweh was awarded the 2001 Golden Pen of Freedom, along with Win Tin, in recognition of "their outstanding services to the cause of press freedom" in Myanmar.

Biography San San Nweh was born on in August 1945 in Tharrawaddy, Burma (now Myanmar). One of the first Burmese women to complete journalism training, San San Nweh was editor of two journals--Gita Padetha and Einmet-Hpu. Since 1974 she has published a dozen novels, over 500 short stories and about 100 poems. Her books include Alone in the Wind and the Rain, Only a Folding Umbrella, and Prison of Darkness.

On 6 October 1994, San San Nweh was arrested, together with her daughter, and found guilty of "publishing information harmful to the state" with a view to "fomenting disorder". She was sentenced to seven years in jail, the maximum provided by the emergency law, and then to a further three years for "giving biased viewpoints" to French journalists in April 1993. She was also accused of "providing information about the human rights situation to the United Nations' Special Rapporteur for Burma". San San Nweh suffered various health problems during her time in prison.

After serving seven years of her ten-year prison sentence, San San Nweh was released in July 2001 from Insein Prison, Yangon but has not been allowed to leave Myanmar.

San San Nweh has won numerous awards for her work, including a PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in 1995 and a Reporters Without Borders-Fondation de France Prize in 1999. In 2001, she and Win Tin were jointly awarded the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award.

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Important facts

Born
1953, Tharrawaddy, Burma
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Awards
Reporters Without Borders Prize; World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award; PEN Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award; Freedom to Write Award; Golden Pen of Freedom; Reporters Without Borders
Also known as
San San Nwe

People in San San Nweh's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped San San Nweh's

Frequently asked questions

Who is San San Nweh?

Burmese dissident writer

When was San San Nweh born?

San San Nweh was born in 1953 in Tharrawaddy, Burma.

What is San San Nweh's occupation?

San San Nweh is a journalist and writer.

What nationality is San San Nweh?

San San Nweh is Myanmar.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: San San Nweh

· Wikidata: Q1350355

· DBpedia: San San Nweh

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). San San Nweh. https://biography.guide/san-san-nweh/

MLA: "San San Nweh." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/san-san-nweh/.

Chicago: "San San Nweh." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/san-san-nweh/.

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