Myanmar Frees 20 Political Prisoners

Myanmar Frees 20 Political Prisoners



Soe Soe, second right, an activist who demands the rule of law and a political prisoner just released from Insein Prison, poses Friday for a picture outside the prison in Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Gemunu Amarasinghe / Associated Press

YANGON — Myanmar's military-backed government released at least 20 political prisoners Friday, just a few months before it is scheduled to hand over power to an elected, pro-democracy party.

But human rights groups hedged their praise, noting that a court on the same day sentenced a peace activist to prison for a Facebook posting.

The released detainees said prison authorities declared that they were among 101 prisoners including common criminals who were released from Insein Prison in Yangon's northern outskirts.

Among those freed, according to a prison official contacted by phone who refused to give his name, was New Zealander Philip Blackwood, who managed a bar in Yangon and last March was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for insulting Buddhism in an online advertisement that showed a psychedelic depiction of Buddha wearing headphones. Blackwood's whereabouts Friday were not known.

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-- Khaosod English 2016-01-23