SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES REPORTS OF RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN MYANMAR

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General has taken note of the decision by the Government of Myanmar on 3 January 2007 to grant amnesty to 2,831 prisoners.  He welcomes reports that this includes the release of up to 40 political prisoners.  The Secretary-General urges the Myanmar authorities to go beyond this first step by releasing all other political prisoners in the country, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and by making further concrete progress on all of the issues raised in the context of his good offices.

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For information media • not an official record