31st July
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed the release of around 13 political prisoners as part of an amnesty given by President Thein Sein to
almost 7,000 prisoners. 11 of the political prisoners released were cases that Burma Campaign UK has been actively campaigning on.
However, releasing the prisoners in this way heralds a return to the way the previous military dictatorship released political
prisoners. It highlights how the Burmese government is no longer making any effort to end the jailing of political prisoners once
and for all.
...
However, with most sanctions lifted, having gained international acceptance, and with trade flowing, pressure for the release of all
political prisoners was relaxed. President Thein Sein broke his promise to release all political prisoners by the end of 2013. Since
then the number of political prisoners has steadily grown, now numbering at least 160. Well over a thousand activists and farmers
are currently awaiting trial.
“Rather than any comprehensive effort to ensure there are no political prisoners, we are now back to waiting for the annual
prisoners amnesty and hoping a few political prisoners are included,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “It’s time
a new political prisoner committee is established which can independently review cases and ensure all political prisoners are
released.”
In April 2015, twenty-three human rights organisations from around the world published proposals for a new committee to address the
issue of political prisoners in Burma.
Ref::burmacampaign.org.uk/
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