Burmese Opposition Says 40 Political Prisoners Released

Burma's main opposition party says the military government has freed at least 40 political prisoners as part of a larger prisoner release marking the country's independence day.

The National League for Democracy says about 20 of the freed inmates are members of its party. None of them are leading activists.

The government has freed about 2,800 prisoners for good behavior to mark the 59th anniversary of Burma's independence from Britain Thursday.

Burmese rights groups say that despite gaining their freedom from Britain, Burmese people enjoy little freedom of their own.

The group known as 88-Generation Students says citizens have lost their rights to freedom of religion and expression since the military took power in a coup in 1962.

Another group, the National Council of the Union of Burma, says the current political situation in Burma is worse than it has ever been.

Amnesty International estimates at least 1,000 political prisoners are being held in Burma.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is among them.

She has spent more than half of the past 17 years under house arrest, after the military refused to recognize the election victory of her National League for Democracy party in 1990.

By VOA News