| Home > South-East Asia >> Burma | |
Release political prisoners, says UN rapporteur
Irrawaddy - December 14, 2010
UN Special Rapporteur on Burma for Human Rights Tomas Ojea Quintana has called on the Burmese military government to immediately and unconditionally release its 2,202 political prisoners ahead of forming a new post-election government.
"One month after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release, I call upon the Government of Myanmar to release the remaining prisoners of conscience, currently estimated to be at least 2,202, many of whom are right now suffering serious health problems from the harsh conditions of their detention," Quintana said in his statement on Monday.
"As Burma attempts to move forward in its democratic transition and the new government seeks to establish a new era of peace and prosperity for the people, it is critical that prisoners of conscious be released immediately and unconditionally," he said.
"A release would be a very strong signal that the new Government of Myanmar intends to uphold these fundamental freedoms, and would be welcomed by both people inside and outside the country," he added.
The UN expert also spoke out about his sadness on the 145 confirmed deaths of Burmese political prisoners since the current junta came into power in 1988, particularly the most recent incident of an imprisoned Buddhist monk, Ashin Naymeinda, who died on Wednesday while he was serving a 20-year jail term in Moulmein Prison, Mon State, for distributing pro-democracy leaflets.
"It is with much sadness that I learned of the death of yet another prisoner of conscience on 8 December," he said.
"His [the monk's] health deteriorated as he was transferred to Moulmein Prison in Mon State far from his family, making it difficult for them to visit and provide essential food and medicine, a practice that is used too frequently to additionally punish not only the prisoners but also their families," he added.
See also:
 |