Myanmar President Thein Sein pledged Tuesday to soon release all of the country’s remaining political prisoners, as his nominally civilian government forges ahead with democratic reforms after 50 years of military misrule.
In a monthly radio address, the president said that any prisoners serving jail time for holding, expressing or acting in accord with political beliefs would be set free “soon,” without providing a timetable.
“I don’t want anyone who is imprisoned with particular political beliefs in any jail,” Thein Sein said, adding that a government investigation into cases that had been “confused with criminal” acts was ongoing and had “taken some time.”
“Because we established a commission to review existing cases and determine how many political prisoners remain in Myanmar, those prisoners who are jailed because of political beliefs will be free soon.”
Thein Sein did not reveal the number of prisoners the government considers to be jailed for their political beliefs.
Around 200 prisoners of conscience are languishing in various jails around Myanmar, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).
Since his reformist government took power in 2011 following decades of junta leadership in Myanmar, Thein Sein’s government has released hundreds of political prisoners, eased restrictions on assembly and the press, and renewed attempts at dialogue with armed ethnic minority groups.
His government has also allowed Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest during the junta regime, to enter parliament following landmark by-elections last year.
In response, the Obama administration has suspended sanctions against Myanmar in an attempt to encourage further change and extend its influence in the former military-ruled nation.
But rights groups have said the steps fall short of pledged reforms, and that Myanmar has used a series of prisoner amnesties for political gain, as many of them have occurred either just before or immediately following strategically diplomatic events.
The government released 23 political prisoners on May 17, ahead of a landmark visit by Thein Sein to the White House, and set nearly 60 free in April.
The government freed 452 prisoners in November last year in a gesture of “goodwill” ahead of an historic visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, but the amnesty drew criticism from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners which said that none of those granted freedom had been sentenced for their political views.
More than 80 political detainees were released among more than 500 prisoners in September 2012 ahead of Thein Sein’s trip to the U.S. to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Additional political prisoners were released in amnesties in July last year and in May 2011.
Reported by Kyaw Thu for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.