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Myanmar grants amnesty to political prisoners

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Myanmar's military government has granted amnesty to 23 political detainees and more than 6,300 other prisoners, Thailand-based human rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said Sunday. Among those freed were members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, including Zaw Myint Maung, who had been imprisoned for more than 18 years.  Myanmar's government said Friday that the prisoners were released due to good behavior and also to allow the country to hold fair elections in 2010. The prisoners' release follows a visit by UN Human Rights envoy to Myanmar Tomas Ojea Quintana, which also coincided with the reduction of the prison sentences of several political activists last week. The government is still holding more than 2,000 political prisoners, including NLD head Aung San Suu Kyi. Even before Quintana's visit, Myanmar had faced increasing international pressure to end its persecution of political dissidents. Last month, Amnesty International (AI) sent an open letter  to the government, urging it to cease targeting its Rohingya Muslim minority. In December, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution denouncing the nation's alleged human rights violations. Last June, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) criticized the government of Myanmar for its continued human rights abuses and refusal to cooperate with humanitarian groups.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 23, 2009 (boomark / email).