Alternative Asean Network on Burma
campaigns, advocacy and capacity-building for human rights
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BURMA’S REGIME DOES IT AGAIN: POLITICAL PRISONERS REMAIN IN JAIL |
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On 12 October, Burma’s regime released 6,359 prisoners from jails across the country. However, only 220 political prisoners were among those released. The regime’s routine mass releases of prisoners haven’t resulted in the release of significant numbers of political prisoners. Political prisoners have accounted for about 1% of the prisoners freed by the regime during mass amnesties. The 12 October mass amnesty saw the second largest
number of political prisoners released by the regime (220) since
2004. The move came ahead of the planned 28 October fact-finding
mission to Burma by Indonesian FM Marty Natalegawa and the ASEAN
Summit in mid-November. During the Summit, ASEAN is expected to
make a decision on whether to grant Burma the bloc’s Chair
in 2014. |
