Myanmar releases hundreds from jail
Source: Agencies |
October 13, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MYANMAR yesterday freed at least 300 political prisoners, including several prominent dissidents, leaving as many as 2,000 behind bars.
The US, Europe and Australia have said freeing Myanmar's estimated 2,100 political prisoners is essential to the potential for lifting sanctions against the country.
A senior prison official said about 300 dissidents were freed.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, herself freed from 15 years of house arrest last year, said: "We hope many more will be released.
"I am really thankful for the release of political prisoners."
The most prominent freed dissident appeared to be Zarganar, who was arrested in June 2008.
He was sentenced to 59 years in a remote prison after criticizing the then ruling generals for their sluggish response to Cyclone Nargis, which killed more than 140,000 people when it devastated the Irrawaddy delta a month earlier.
Also freed was Sai Say Htan, an ethnic Shan leader sentenced to 104 years in 2005 for refusing to help draft a new constitution, prison sources and relatives said.
Diplomats in Yangon said more political prisoners may be freed in coming months.
The US, Europe and Australia have said freeing Myanmar's estimated 2,100 political prisoners is essential to the potential for lifting sanctions against the country.
A senior prison official said about 300 dissidents were freed.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, herself freed from 15 years of house arrest last year, said: "We hope many more will be released.
"I am really thankful for the release of political prisoners."
The most prominent freed dissident appeared to be Zarganar, who was arrested in June 2008.
He was sentenced to 59 years in a remote prison after criticizing the then ruling generals for their sluggish response to Cyclone Nargis, which killed more than 140,000 people when it devastated the Irrawaddy delta a month earlier.
Also freed was Sai Say Htan, an ethnic Shan leader sentenced to 104 years in 2005 for refusing to help draft a new constitution, prison sources and relatives said.
Diplomats in Yangon said more political prisoners may be freed in coming months.
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