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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Myanmar authorities release jailed US rights activist

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

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[JURIST] Myanmar authorities on Thursday released jailed democracy activist Nyi Nyi Aung, ordering him to leave the country. Aung, a US citizen, had been sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted on fraud and forgery charges by a Myanmar court last month. Advocacy groups have argued that the charges against Aung were filed because of his political advocacy, and a group of 53 members of the US House of Representatives called for his immediate release following his conviction. Aung is expected to return to the US. Myanmar has recently faced significant criticism of its human rights record. Last week, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Tomas Ojea Quintana released a report saying that some of the country's violations may constitute war crimes. Also last week, Myanmar's junta announced new election laws, one of which bars pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in the upcoming elections. The move that immediately criticized by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said that the laws do not meet international standards for an inclusive political process. In January, a Myanmar government official said that Suu Kyi released from house arrest in November when her sentence is scheduled to end, likely after the elections.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on March 18, 2010 (boomark / email).