The release of 20 political prisoners in Burma yesterday has prompted calls by human rights body Amnesty International (AI) to release the rest of them.

AI Malaysia campaign co-ordinator Josef Roy welcomed the announcement by the Burmese authorities that they would release 3,937 prisoners after finding that "improper deeds" were used to imprison them.

He said AI was delighted to hear about the release of the prisoners of conscience.

"We applaud this decision and the Burmese government's implicit recognition that these people should never have been imprisoned in the first place," he said in an e-mail statement.

"We urge the government to use the momentum of this decision and release all prisoners of conscience."

Among those released is U Win Tin, 74, a long-term prisoner of conscience and journalist who has spent the last 15 years imprisoned solely for his peaceful political activities and enduring terrible prison conditions, torture and chronic health problems.

Another is Ko Khun Sai, known as Myo Htun who was a former student activist sentenced for helping to write a student history in February 1998. He also served two other prison terms for his political activities.

Unfair trials

AI called on the State Peace and Development Council to unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience regardless of their political allegiance, including journalists, student leaders, nuns, teachers, lawyers, students, monks and farmers.

"These men and women have spent years in prison after unfair trials for acts of peaceful dissent that would not be considered crimes under international law, and have suffered from torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment," read the statement.

"AI wants the authorities to protect (them) against future wrongful imprisonment by revoking or amending laws that have been used in the past to prosecute people on the basis of their peaceful political activities."

The body, which monitors human rights violation throughout the world, also wanted the council to ensure that all trials match international standards for fairness.

"The amended laws must respect fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to freedom of expression, association and assembly, the right to a fair trial, and the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty."

Among those released today are opposition party members, NLD MPs, Democratic Party for a New Society members who were arrested in connection with demonstrations calling for the convening of parliament in 1998.

Revoke draconian laws

Some of them had been held beyond the expiry of their prison sentence under a law that allows detention without charge or trial, or who had been sentenced under security and other laws.

AI continued to press for the release of student leaders including Paw U Tun also known as Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi (both student leaders imprisoned since 1989).

Other political prisoners still detained are NLD leaders U Win Htein, imprisoned since 1996 and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, both currently under house arrest.

AI wants the Burmese government to revoke or amend draconian laws including the 1975 State Protection Law; 1962 Press and Publication Law; the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act and the

Unlawful Associations Act.

Significant numbers of political prisoners were released in amnesties in 1992 and again in 1995.

A number of them including individuals currently imprisoned, were subsequently re-arrested for breaching the conditions of their release by engaging in peaceful political activities, and were made to serve the remainder of their original sentence.