DVB
5 Aug 2026
Min Zin was wrongfully detained on June 3, 2026, while traveling to Kunming, China, to attend an academic workshop. ISP-Myanmar calls for his immediate and unconditional release. This #FreeMinZin information hub brings together news reports and articles covering Min Zin’s case, official statements and open letters calling for his release, and other relevant information. This page will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.
Min Zin is the Executive Director/ founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar).
He is a PhD candidate in Travers Department of Political Science at University of California, Berkeley. Min Zin studies comparative politics with a special focus on civil- military relations, democratization, and contentious politics. He is a former well known student activist in Burma’s democracy movement in 1988. Min Zin’s writings appear in many prestigious academic journals such as the Journal of Democracy, Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, Social Research: An International Quarterly, Contemporary Southeast Asia, Asian Survey, and many edited books.
Min Zin writes for The New York Times, the New Yorker, Foreign Affairs, Nikkei Asia and other media outlets. He is often cited by various well known media such as the Economist, New York Times, Nikkei Asia and many Burmese and regional newspapers on Myanmar politics, geopolitical issues and conflict transformation.
Strategic Initiative Forum (SIF) sent an open letter on 4 August to the People’s Republic of China regarding China’s involvement in Myanmar affairs.
The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security condemns, in the strongest terms, the wrongful detention of U.S. citizen U Min Zin by the government of the People’s Republic of China. Min Zin is the founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) and a strong advocate for democracy and civil rights in Myanmar. Min Zin is also a long-time friend of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security and its predecessor, the Project 2049 Institute.
On 3 June 2026, Min Zin, a US citizen and founder of the Myanmar-focused think tank ISP-Myanmar, which conducts research on China’s coercive influence in Myanmar as part of its work, was detained upon arrival at the airport in Yunnan province after traveling there on invitation of a Chinese academic institution.
1. The Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) is deeply troubled by the wrongful detention of our Executive Director, U Min Zin, by the People’s Republic of China. ISP-Myanmar calls for the immediate and unconditional release of U Min Zin, who was detained while traveling to Kunming, China, for the sole purpose of attending an academic workshop.
2. ISP-Myanmar is an independent, non-partisan, and non-governmental think tank that promotes democratic leadership and public participation in Myanmar’s public affairs….
Chairman Moolenaar’s statement on China’s detention of American citizen Min Zin:
The Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar calls for China to immediately release U.S. citizen Min Zin, who was lured to China on false pretenses and unjustly detained.
Time and time again, China’s actions speak for themselves, and the message is crystal clear. The CCP can’t be trusted. American businesses should take note.