Burma's military government will free over 6,000 prisoners "with good conduct and discipline" from tomorrow official media said today, although it is not known if any political detainees will be released.
The announcement came after the departure of United Nations human rights rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana following a five-day visit during which he met a handful of political prisoners in Yangon's Insein Prison.
"I don't think a considerable number of prisoners of conscience will be released," U Nyan Win, spokesman of main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party said.
"In the previous amnesty, end last year, there were only about a dozen among over 9,000 prisoners," he added. In September last year, Burma released 9,002 prisoners as a gesture of "loving kindness and goodwill".
Asked if there will be any prisoners of conscience among the 6,313 to be released, an official from the Insein Central Jail, on the outskirts of Yangon, said: "I don't know."
Burma's military junta, which has ruled unchecked since 1962, denies the existence of any political prisoners, saying all detainees have committed crimes.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is among 2,162 people believed to be in detention in the country for their political or religious beliefs.
State-owned MRTV said the prisoners were being released for the "social consideration of their families" and to take part in elections scheduled for 2010, part of a seven-step "roadmap to democracy". Western governments dismiss the roadmap as a charade.
Reuters