缅甸释放包括政治犯在内的102名囚犯

Myanmar\'s military-backed government has released 102 prisoners, including many jailed on political charges, in a move that comes just before it is set to hand over power to a pro-democracy opposition party.

The prisoners were freed Friday from Insein prison near Yangon, according to a presidential spokesman. At least 20 of the freed detainees were prisoners of conscience while others were common criminals, officials said.

Among those freed was 32-year-old New Zealand citizen Philip Blackwood, who was sentenced last year to two and a half years in prison for using an image of Buddha in a flyer that a judge said insulted Buddhism.

Under the leadership of reformist President Thein Sein, Myanmar\'s government has released more than 1,300 political prisoners in recent years, even while continuing to throw activists and dissidents behind bars.

At least 537 people remain jailed on political charges, according to the Assistant Association for Political Prisoners.

缅甸总统发言人说，这批囚犯星期五在仰光附近的永盛监狱获释。缅甸官员说，在这批囚犯中，至少20人是良心犯，其余是普通犯人。

获释者中包括32岁的新西兰公民菲利普·布莱克伍德，他去年因为在宣传材料上使用佛的图像被认定亵渎佛教，判处两年半监禁。

近年来，在改革派总统吴登盛任期内，缅甸政府先后释放了1300多名政治犯，同时又将另外一些活动人士和异议人士送入监狱。

政治犯援助协会说，缅甸目前还监禁着至少537名政治犯。