TEMPO.CO, YANGON – The Political Prisoners Liberation Aid Association stated that the Myanmar government has released several political prisoners after the European Union agreed to lift its sanctions against the country. According to Bo Kyi, an activist of the Association, around 59 prisoners received amnesty from the president, while 200 others are still in prison.
In addition to political prisoners, some convicts were also released. An official who refused to have his name disclosed stated that they released a total of 93 prisoners, including three foreign prisoners.
Patrick Ventrell, the Acting Deputy Spokesperson of U.S. Department of State, welcomed the news and asked for all political prisoners to be released without any condition.
The Government of Myanmar, who refused to recognize the existence of political prisoners since President Thein term starts on March 2011, has released hundreds of political prisoners. The government has reviewed all political cases since November 2012.
According to a human right activist, Myanmar military junta has arrested around 2.000 political prisoners, including rebels and journalists. They claimed that the release was done only for political image building, like what the government did when United States President Barack Obama visited the country.
“Now the European Union is lifting its sanction,” saud Toe Kyaw Hlaing, an activist for political prisoners liberation.
Although the country's military junta regime has ended, the Myanmar government has not been freed from charges for human rights violation. Last Monday, Human Rights Watch claimed that the Myanmar government has purposedly killed Rohingyas. Rohingya, has either been tortured, killed, or expelled.
MIZZIMA | THE IRRAWADDY | NATALIA SANTI