Burma: Govt Says 450 Prisoners to be Freed in Amnesty- UPDATE: NO POLITICAL PRISONER RELEASED
Burma’s reformist government ordered more than 450 prisoners freed on Thursday in an amnesty apparently intended as a goodwill gesture ahead of a historic visit by President Barack Obama next week.
UPDATE. NO POLITICAL PRISONER RELEASED
Amnesty granted
Nay Pyi Taw, 14 Nov
The President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has granted amnesty for 452 prisoners including foreigners from various prisons in accord with Section 204 (a) of the constitution and Section 401 (i) of Code of Criminal Procedure as of 15 November, 2012, for establishing stability of the State and eternal peace, on humanitarian grounds, for turning them into citizens who do their bits in nation building tasks realizing sympathy and goodwill of the State and for prolonging friendship with neighbouring countries.
The government will extradite the foreign prisoners.
It was not clear whether any political prisoners will be among those released, but past amnesties have included both prisoners of conscience and common criminals. http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/18865
