About 60 political prisoners freed in Myanmar amnesty

About 60 political prisoners have been freed in Myanmar, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy told AFP Tuesday, a day after the government announced an amnesty for hundreds of detainees. "About 60 political prisoners have been released under an amnesty. According to our figure, we have about 300 political prisoners inside the prisons," Nine Nine said, adding the party was trying to confirm releases around the country. At least 15 political prisoners were freed from jails on Monday, other activists said, following an announcement in state media that a total of 514 detainees would be released. Myanmar has granted amnesty to hundreds of political prisoners as part of reforms responsible for a dramatic thaw in relations between the West and the long-isolated nation formerly called Burma. Estimates of the exact number of political detainees still locked up vary but Generation 88, which played a key part in a 1988 uprising against the former junta, has said around 300 activists still languish in jails around the country. Democracy champion Suu Kyi arrived Monday for an 18-day US tour which will coincide with a separate visit next week to New York by President Thein Sein.