British Parliament Congratulates Political Prisoners Signature Campaign

As the Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now! signature campaign draws to a close, a motion in the British Parliament praises the campaign, and backs its demands that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon make the release of Burma’s political prisoners his top priority.

In just five days more than 77 MPs have added their names to the Early Day Motion.

“British MPs are once again showing their support for Burma’s political prisoners, and adding to the pressure on Ban Ki-Moon to take real action instead of just issuing statements of concern,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “We will be keeping the pressure on Ban Ki-Moon and the rest of the UN to take concrete action to free Burma’s political prisoners.”

The full text of the statement follows:

Early Day Motion 1452: Political Prisoners In Burma.

That this House welcomes the Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now campaign being organised by former political prisoners from Burma; congratulates the organisers on securing 250,000 signatures in support of the campaign; notes that more than 2,100 political prisoners languish in Burma’s gaols, having committed no crime other than to want freedom and democracy, or to deliver aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis; expresses deep concern that political prisoners are deliberately being denied medical treatment; supports the call for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make it his personal priority to secure the release of all of Burma’s political prisoners; and calls on the Government to do all it can to assist the UN Secretary General in this objective.

For more information contact Mark Farmaner 020 7324 4710

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