Release Remaining Political Prisoners

The release of at least 120 political prisoners in Burma should be followed by legal and policy reforms to ensure respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, Human Rights Watch said today […]

Statement by the Spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative on the Release of Political Prisoners in Burma/Myanmar

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement […]

Congressman Crowley on the Release of Political Prisoners in Burma

“There’s no doubt I am glad a number of innocent civilians being held as political prisoners have been released, but I am disappointed that this step does not include the release of all individuals that are being wrongfully held […]

CSW Welcomes Limited Prisoner Release but Urges Amnesty for All Political Prisoners

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has today welcomed the release of around 120 political prisoners but urges the regime in Burma to go much further and release all of the estimated 2,000 political prisoners still in jail […]

Government Must Go Further with Prisoner Release

The release of at least 120 political prisoners in Burma today is a minimum first step, and the authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all remaining prisoners of conscience, Amnesty International said today […]

Update on the October 12 Prisoner Release

The U Thein Sein administration announced on the 11th of October that 6,359 prisoners would be released under a general amnesty. As of today, October 12, 2011, the first group of prisoners was released […]

Political Prisoner Release Too Small, Senior Leaders Still in Jail

Small number of prisoners released a reality check for those believing promises of reform.

Burma Campaign UK today expressed disappointment at how few political prisoners have so far been released under a new prisoner amnesty in Burma. Many senior political prisoners also remain in jail […]

False Amnesty for Political Prisoners in Burma

On 16 May 2011, the military regime under order number 28/2011 provided ‘amnesty’ to prisoners in Burma, by either converting death sentences to life imprisonment or reducing prison terms by one year. Under this order, only 47 political prisoners have been released, as there remained less than one year on their sentences. This ‘mass amnesty’ will make little or no difference to over 2,000 political prisoners who have been sentenced for as many as 106 years, under vague domestic laws that criminalize peaceful political dissent. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has named this the worst prisoner amnesty in Burma’s history.

The number of political prisoners has doubled since the Saffron Revolution in September 2007. Members of the current political prisoner population include monks, media, activists, leaders from the 88 Generation student group and other students, former Members of Parliament, National League for Democracy (NLD) members and ethnic leaders. Human rights groups have documented the poor conditions of detention including psychological and physical torture, deprivation of food, lack of health care, sexual offences, poor or no hygiene and remote incarcerations to impose family separation. Since 1990, 146 political prisoners have died in detention in Burma due to malnutrition, maltreatment and inadequate medical care. This week, 22 political prisoners began a strike to demand an improvement to these conditions […]

Political Prisoners Strike Back, Hunger Strike in Insein Prison Demands the Attention of the International Community

The U. S. Campaign for Burma (USCB), a Washington, DC-based grassroots organization campaigning to end crimes against humanity and the culture of impunity in the Southeast Asian country of Burma, today strongly demands the international community pay attention to the hunger strike […]

Burma: International Community Should not be Appeased by Empty ‘Amnesty’ Gestures and a Façade of Change

The announcement on 16 May 2011 by Burmese president Thein Sein that all prisoners will receive a one-year sentence reduction is so woefully inadequate that it should be regarded as nothing but another attempt to present a façade of change while the regime continues to restrict […]