Makkah police arrest Yemeni and Egyptian suspects of fake Hajj campaign    400-800 year old giant coral colony discovered within AMAALA waters in the Red Sea    HR Ministry launches 'Ajeer Al-Hajj' service for seasonal work during Hajj 2025    Kafalah grants 1,900 loan guarantees worth over SR4.8 billion to SMEs during 1Q 2025    Council of Senior Scholars reaffirms performing Hajj without a permit is a sinful act    Syria thanks Saudi Arabia and Qatar for settling World Bank dues    King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Myanmar commutes death sentences, jail terms
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 03 - 01 - 2014

YANGON — Myanmar's president on Thursday commuted the death sentences of some convicts and slashed the jail terms of others, but it was unclear whether any political prisoners would be freed through his order.
President Thein Sein had granted pardons Monday to those convicted of or charged with a variety of political offenses. The amnesty followed a promise by Thein Sein in July that all political prisoners would be freed by the end of the year.
State television and radio said Thursday's order commuted death sentences to life imprisonment, reduced jail sentences of more than 40 years to 40 years, and cut sentences of 40 years or less by one-fourth. It said the order was made on humanitarian grounds and to mark the 66th anniversary of the country's independence this Saturday.
It was not immediately clear how many prisoners would benefit from the order or whether any political prisoners would be freed.
“Many prisoners from various prisons, including criminals, will be freed under this order,” said Bo Kyi of Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners and a member of the Political Prisoner Scrutinizing Body formed by the government. “I want to wait until tomorrow to see if the political prisoners that we have requested to be freed are among those released.”
Bo Kyi said the names of 46 political prisoners deserving freedom had been submitted to the president.
While concerns focus on prisoners who belonged to the country's pro-democracy, anti-military movements, there are others who fall into the category of political prisoners, including former military officers who ended up on the losing sides in factional battles.
Bo Kyi said many of the top former military intelligence officers who are serving lengthy jail terms will have their sentences reduced but will remain in prison.
It is also expected that a Foreign Ministry official and a retired army major will have their death sentences commuted to life.
The ministry official and the former major were sentenced in 2010 for allegedly leaking official information about a secret 2008 trip to North Korea by the third-ranking member of what was then Myanmar's ruling junta, Shwe Mann, who now is chairman of the country's elected Parliament. The leaked details of the link between the two rogue nations prompted the United States to express concern and call on Myanmar to sever military ties with North Korea.
Thein Sein on Monday granted pardons to those convicted of or charged with a variety of political offenses, such as unlawful association, high treason, contempt of government, security laws and violations of the peaceful assembly law.
Since Thein Sein became president in 2011, he has freed about 1,300 political prisoners, according to former detainees.
Thein Sein, a former general who became an elected president after five decades of repressive military rule, has instituted political and financial reforms to lift Myanmar's sagging economy. The country had faced sanctions from Western nations because of its poor human rights record and undemocratic rule, but most of them have been lifted.
The release of political detainees is a benchmark used by Western nations to judge Thein Sein's administration, and previous releases have been a major factor in decisions by those nations to ease sanctions. — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.