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| Jubilant scenes in court as Myanmar frees scores of jailed students | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Burmese court has freed dozens of jailed students after Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to make releasing activists and political prisoners the first priority of her new government. | A Burmese court has freed dozens of jailed students after Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to make releasing activists and political prisoners the first priority of her new government. |
| There were jubilant scenes at the sweltering central Myanmar courthouse in Tharrawaddy on Friday as a judge told young activists they could go home, more than a year after they were arrested over an education protest that police violently crushed in March 2015. | There were jubilant scenes at the sweltering central Myanmar courthouse in Tharrawaddy on Friday as a judge told young activists they could go home, more than a year after they were arrested over an education protest that police violently crushed in March 2015. |
| The township judge Chit Myat told the 69 activists they were freed from the case without charge, although at least three of the group will remain in prison because they face hearings in other courts. | The township judge Chit Myat told the 69 activists they were freed from the case without charge, although at least three of the group will remain in prison because they face hearings in other courts. |
| Myanmar has scores of political prisoners languishing in its jails and hundreds of detained activists awaiting trial, despite reforms in recent years as the military loosened its grip on power following half a century of repressive rule. | Myanmar has scores of political prisoners languishing in its jails and hundreds of detained activists awaiting trial, despite reforms in recent years as the military loosened its grip on power following half a century of repressive rule. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi said on Thursday that she would prioritise releasing activists. It is an issue laden with significance for herself and scores of MPs in her party who were jailed for democracy activism during the junta era. | Aung San Suu Kyi said on Thursday that she would prioritise releasing activists. It is an issue laden with significance for herself and scores of MPs in her party who were jailed for democracy activism during the junta era. |
| The statement was not followed by an official amnesty notice from President Htin Kyaw, but families nevertheless crowded at prison gates around the country from early in the morning hoping to be reunited with their loved ones. | The statement was not followed by an official amnesty notice from President Htin Kyaw, but families nevertheless crowded at prison gates around the country from early in the morning hoping to be reunited with their loved ones. |
| Those gathered in Tharrawaddy’s dusty courtroom erupted into cheers and song after the judge delivered his statement, while dozens of police looked on. Tearful parents gripped their children in emotional scenes before hurrying to the nearby prison to collect the detainees’ belongings. | Those gathered in Tharrawaddy’s dusty courtroom erupted into cheers and song after the judge delivered his statement, while dozens of police looked on. Tearful parents gripped their children in emotional scenes before hurrying to the nearby prison to collect the detainees’ belongings. |
| Some students stopped at a cemetery to pay their respects at the graves of other activists who died in the country’s decades-long democracy struggle. | Some students stopped at a cemetery to pay their respects at the graves of other activists who died in the country’s decades-long democracy struggle. |
| “Our release showed that we didn’t commit any crime. We suffered in prison for more than one year. We are happy but we want the new government to release all political prisoners immediately,” Ei Thinzar Maung, 20, said after her release. | “Our release showed that we didn’t commit any crime. We suffered in prison for more than one year. We are happy but we want the new government to release all political prisoners immediately,” Ei Thinzar Maung, 20, said after her release. |
| Court officials said they had begun preparing to release the students shortly after Aung San Suu Kyi’s statement, which said her government would try to free detainees still on trial by asking the state prosecutor to drop the charges. | Court officials said they had begun preparing to release the students shortly after Aung San Suu Kyi’s statement, which said her government would try to free detainees still on trial by asking the state prosecutor to drop the charges. |
| Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed the students’ release but urged Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to amend the laws used to imprison peaceful protesters. | Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed the students’ release but urged Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to amend the laws used to imprison peaceful protesters. |
| “They have to release political prisoners but they also have to do away with these rights-abusing laws. The NLD has an absolute majority in both houses of the national assembly. They can do this,” said Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director. | “They have to release political prisoners but they also have to do away with these rights-abusing laws. The NLD has an absolute majority in both houses of the national assembly. They can do this,” said Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi spent about 15 years under house arrest and more than 100 current NLD MPs served time in prison under the junta. | Aung San Suu Kyi spent about 15 years under house arrest and more than 100 current NLD MPs served time in prison under the junta. |
| The quasi-civilian government that replaced the junta in 2011 freed hundreds of political detainees but oversaw the detention of scores more, particularly activists involved in land and education protests. | The quasi-civilian government that replaced the junta in 2011 freed hundreds of political detainees but oversaw the detention of scores more, particularly activists involved in land and education protests. |
| Prior to Friday there were about 121 political prisoners held in Myanmar’s jails and a further 414 awaiting trial, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The majority were arrested before last November’s landmark elections, which the NLD won in a landslide. | Prior to Friday there were about 121 political prisoners held in Myanmar’s jails and a further 414 awaiting trial, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The majority were arrested before last November’s landmark elections, which the NLD won in a landslide. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi made the prisoner release announcement in her broadly defined new position of state counsellor, which she was given despite vehement opposition from the still-powerful military whose charter bars her from the presidency. | Aung San Suu Kyi made the prisoner release announcement in her broadly defined new position of state counsellor, which she was given despite vehement opposition from the still-powerful military whose charter bars her from the presidency. |