“The release of political prisoners in Myanmar is not only a release for those unjustly detained, but also for their families.” OHCHR Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence tell journalists in Geneva.
“However, it is important that we take this opportunity to call for the release of thousands of others who are being held for resisting the military regime.”
Tortured in prison
To mark the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence, the military junta that took power nearly two years ago announced this week that it would free some 7,000 prisoners.
However, it did not say whether people jailed as part of a brutal crackdown on dissidents were included.
Citing reliable sources, an OHCHR spokesperson said that the military regime has incarcerated about 300 political prisoners.
“Even with news of the amnesty marking the country’s independence day, we continue to receive reports of people being detained for resisting the military regime, many of them,” he said. they were tortured and mistreated.”
Freedom in times of oppression
He said that since the February 1, 2021 military coup, nearly 17,000 people have been arrested and more than 13,000 are still detained.
Local monitoring group Political Prisoners Support Association also believes 300 political prisoners have been released – 223 have been identified, while working to identify others.
Welcoming the amnesty, the UN official pointed out that on the very day they were released, 22 other political prisoners were detained.
“Such detentions are not only intended to silence critics of the government, but are also designed to instill fear,” he said.
free call
Because this year marks the 75th anniversary of its founding Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man, The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for an end to arbitrary detention once and for all.
About human rights as “the force that comes and unites us”, bringing everyone “back to the fundamental principles of who we are, about human dignity and what binds us all”, He argues that one person’s pain will ultimately hurt everyone.
The United Nations Head of Rights calls on governments and all detention authorities globally to put this Important Declaration into action by pardoning, pardoning or simply releasing all prisoners. including those detained for exercising their rights.
“The way out of Myanmar’s crisis is not to confine its people – but to allow them to participate freely, fully and effectively in political life,” Laurence said.
Call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi
Turning to Myanmar’s democratically-elected former leader Aung San Suu Kyi continuing her sentencing earlier this week, OHCHR has called for her immediate release and an end to the arbitrary detention of individuals.
On Tuesday, United Nations Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said that Secretary General António Guterres also expressed “deep concern” over the latest sentences and sentences against Aung San Suu Kyi, “and reiterated calls for her immediate release and President Wyn Myint and all prisoners are arbitrarily detained in Myanmar.”
Mr. Laurence told journalists in Geneva that OHCHR is constantly working with the authorities and that the High Commissioner will soon issue a new report on Myanmar.
