The request was put forward last month by the Nobel Peace laureate’s lawyer. The mandate for her house arrest empire on May 24th. An on line petition demanding her release reaches over 286 thousand signatures.

Yangon (AsiaNews) – The Burmese military junta has rejected an appeal for the release of  Aung San Suu Kyi, according to the website Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), which confirms that the request was put forward on April 28th by her lawyer in efforts to revoke the house arrest.  A similar request had been sent October 9th 2008, without success.

 

The “Dear Lady’s” lawyer Kyi Win, was well aware that his request would meet with rejection: “The reason is – he comments - they have kept her prisoner for five whole years. If they release her now [the mandate for her house arrest expires on May 24th], it is like admitting they were wrong then”.

 

Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD leader, has spent 13 of the past 19 years under house arrest in her home on University Road, Yangon. The military junta imposed the restriction following her part’s landslide victory in the 1990 elections that were never recognised by the junta.  The lawyer had asked that he be allowed meet his client to inform her that the appeal has been denied.

 

In the meantime an online petition for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release has reached over 286 thousand signatures.  Promoted by to associations based in Thailand - Assistance Association for Political Prisoners—Burma (AAPP) and Forum for Democracy in Burma – it aims to raise awareness throughout the international community regarding human rights in Myanmar.

 

Today there are over 2100 political prisoners in the country’s jails. Among them 21 volunteers, arrested by the junta because they were trying to help victims of the Nargis cyclone.  On May 2nd last the first anniversary of the disaster which caused 140 thousand deaths was celebrated.

 

 

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