'Free' political prisoners

Political activist Naw Ohn Hla staged a pray protest at Shwedagon Pagoda in 2007. She prayed for the release of political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who was then under house arrest.
 Today, Suu Kyi is free, but Naw Ohn Hla is being sent to jail.
 Six years after the protest took place, she was  charged under Section 296 of the penal code. And recently, she was handed a six-month jail term.
 "She came under legal action only in 2013 for the 2007 protest. And she is now penalised in 2015. The court decision came seven or eight years later,” said lawyer Robert San Aung.
 “She wasn't a fugitive but was declared so. It's not right. It's as if the authorities are doing whatever they want," the lawyer added.
 Naw Ohn Hla was one of six activists were also recently sentenced to prison for four years each for protesting in front of the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, following the death of Khin Win at the Letpadaungtaung copper mine.
According to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at the end of May, there are 163 political prisoners incarcerated in Burma, with 442 activists currently awaiting trial for political actions.
In May alone,  49 political activists were charged, 41 of which were arrested and are currently being held in detention. Sixteen were sentenced, and two were released.
Due to the increase in the number of political prisoners, the Former Political Prisoners’ Society (FPPS) will send a letter to President Thein Sein calling on him to release all political prisoners before the 2015 general election.
“There has been an increase in the number of political prisoners. Therefore the committee has been calling for their release. All the political prisoners should be freed before the election. They should be given voting rights. The president should order it. We will send a letter to him soon,” said Tin Maung Oo, a member of the group.
It will be first time the FPPS has taken this approach. There are around 163 political prisoners and around 500 in custody facing political charges, according to the FPPS.
“The president has full authority to stop the cases. The release of the political prisoners is of utmost importance. The increasing number of political prisoners should be pointed out. This year is vital for the country. The government said everyone should participate in the country’s affairs. Those political prisoners served the country through goodwill and they should take part in the election,” Tin Maung Oo said.
The FPPS said there were about 3,500 former political prisoners across the nation, calling on the government to rehabilitate them.