Govt aims to free prisoners of conscience

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013
Govt aims to free prisoners of conscience

Myanmar President Thein Sein is doing his best to honour his pledge to release all prisoners of conscience before the end of the year, Minister for the President's Office Soe Thein said during a meeting with political parties.

“We are working for the release of all political prisoners at the end of December, as President Thein Sein has promised to the world. We are holding more than two meetings a week on this, and the working committee is holding daily meetings,” said Soe Thein.
In his keynote speech at London’s Chatham House on July 15, President Thein Sein spoke about the nation-wide ceasefire with armed groups and pledged to release all political prisoners by the end of this year.
The president’s promise is on shaky ground at the moment, however, as there have been more people arrested under Section 18 — thus increasing the number of political prisoners, members of the Remaining Political Prisoners Scrutinising Committee said on Saturday.