RANGOON, Burma.- In her first public appearance after her two-week tour of Europe, popular Burmese political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi urged the Burmese President Thein Sein, to release 46 political prisoners, who were scheduled to be released from prison Tuesday. San Suu Kyi says that at least 20 among the 46 prisoners are prisoners of conscience.
Like herself, many of the prisoners are serving long sentences for expressing dissent or criticism of the government. Political activist, Ko Ko Gyi told the Guardian, "We are happy that our fellow political prisoners are being freed...However, we will continue to work to free all political prisoners."
According to a prison monitor only 14 of the 40 prisoners have been released, as reported by the Associated Press. However, reports from the New Light of Myanmar, a state-run news agency, declared that 37 prisoners had been released.
San Suu Kyi, opposition leader serving as chairperson of the National League for Democracy (NLD)organization has served 15 years under house arrest for her role as a political activist. The Noble Peace Prize winner was released in November of 2010 and made her first international tour last month in 24 years.
Burma has constantly and persistently violated human rights. The military regime has imprisoned as many as 600 dissenters according to the Human Rights Watch; However the NLD claims that there are 300. Granting amnesty to 46 political prisoners comes as effort of the military junta to abate international criticism of the nation's tactics.
