{ "id": "R42363", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R42363", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 454502, "date": "2016-07-21", "retrieved": "2017-04-21T15:17:14.625652", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "The release of all Burma\u2019s political prisoners is one of the fundamental goals of U.S. policy towards the nation. Several of the laws imposing sanctions on Burma\u2014including the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (BFDA, P.L. 108-61) and the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta\u2019s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008 (JADE Act, P.L. 110-286)\u2014require the release of all political prisoners before the sanctions contained in those laws can be terminated. \nAlthough the outgoing President Thein Sein provided pardons or amnesty for more than 1,000 alleged political prisoners, security forces continued to arrest new political prisoners and over 100 political prisoners remained in jail when he left office in March 2016. Burma\u2019s new President, Htin Kyaw, released more than 200 political prisoners in his first month in office. The leadership of the new Union Parliament, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi holds a majority in both chambers, has stated plans to revise, amend, or repeal laws that have been used by Burma\u2019s security forces to detain people for political reasons. \nWhile the new NLD-led government appears willing to address the political prisoner issue, it is unclear if Burma\u2019s military leadership and its security forces, which retain substantial power under Burma\u2019s new political structure, will desist in arresting and detaining people allegedly for political reasons. All of Burma\u2019s security forces, including the national Myanmar Police Force, report directly to the Burmese military and Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. In the past, Burma\u2019s security forces have used provisions in laws promulgated by the nation\u2019s past military juntas to arrest and try political dissidents and protesters. Burma\u2019s courts and judges have demonstrated a willingness to convict these people. \nEstimates of how many political prisoners are being detained in Burma vary. According to two nonprofit organizations dedicated to identifying and locating political prisoners in Burma, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), or AAPP(B), and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS), the Burmese government, as of June 30, 2016, was incarcerating 83 political prisoners and an additional 203 were awaiting trial. \nDifferences in estimates of the number of political prisoners in Burma can be attributed to two main factors. First, Burma\u2019s prison and judicial system is not transparent, making it difficult to obtain accurate information. Second, there is no consensus on the definition of a \u201cpolitical prisoner.\u201d Some limit the definition of \u201cpolitical prisoner\u201d to \u201cprisoners of conscience;\u201d others include detained members of ethnic militias as political prisoners. \nThe State Department consulted with the government of former Prime Minister Thein Sein to promote the release of Burma\u2019s political prisoners, but Administration interest in the issue appears to have declined over time. The State Department commended the NLD-led government for its first political prisoner release on April 8, 2016, but did not issue a similar statement of support for the second such release on April 17, 2016.\nCongress may choose to examine the political prisoner issue in Burma either separately or as part of a broader review of U.S. policy towards Burma. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 (P.L.113-76) required the Secretary of State to submit to Congress \u201ca comprehensive strategy for the promotion of democracy and human rights in Burma,\u201d including support for former political prisoners. The State Department, Foreign Operations, and Other Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2017 (S. 3117) would require funds be provided to implement the strategic plan, presumably including support for former political prisoners. \nThis report will be updated as circumstances require.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42363", "sha1": "fb8204ae0260faa4beb5ee530974a08cccc94c4c", "filename": "files/20160721_R42363_fb8204ae0260faa4beb5ee530974a08cccc94c4c.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42363", "sha1": "8504f032ca1e15fb1ee44168985268dbac363462", "filename": "files/20160721_R42363_8504f032ca1e15fb1ee44168985268dbac363462.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4931, "name": "South & Southeast Asia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 439159, "date": "2015-02-24", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T19:27:43.479120", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "The release of all Burma\u2019s political prisoners is one of the fundamental goals of U.S. policy. Several of the laws imposing sanctions on Burma\u2014including the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-61) and the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta\u2019s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-286)\u2014require the release of all political prisoners before the sanctions contained in those laws can be terminated. \nBurma\u2019s President Thein Sein pledged during a July 2013 trip to the United Kingdom to release all \u201cprisoners of conscience\u201d in his country by the end of the year. While President Thein Sein claims that all political prisoners have been freed, several Burmese organizations maintain that dozens of political prisoners remain in jail and that new political prisoners continue to be arrested and sentenced.\nHopes for a democratic government and national reconciliation in Burma depend on the release of prisoners, including those associated with the country\u2019s ethnic groups. Some ethnic-based political parties may not participate in the 2015 parliamentary elections unless their members are released. Also, prospects for stable ceasefires and lasting peace with various ethnic-based militias may depend on the release of their members currently in detention.\nEstimates of how many political prisoners are being detained in Burma vary. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), or AAPP(B), and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS), two nonprofit organizations dedicated to identifying and locating political prisoners in Burma, the Burmese government was incarcerating 177 political prisoners as of February 10, 2015, and another 213 are awaiting trial. \nDifferences in estimates of the number of political prisoners in Burma can be attributed to two main factors. First, Burma\u2019s prison and judicial system is not transparent, making it difficult to obtain accurate information. Second, there is no consensus on the definition of a \u201cpolitical prisoner.\u201d Some limit the definition of \u201cpolitical prisoner\u201d to \u201cprisoners of conscience\u201d; others include members of the ethnic militias as political prisoners. \nPresident Thein Sein established the Political Prisoner Review Committee (PPRC) in February 2013 to identify all political prisoners in Burma, but the committee reportedly has been unable to agree on a common definition and was effectively disbanded at the end of 2014. A new committee, the Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee (PCAC), was created on January 5, 2015, but at least one political prisoner activist group no longer has a member on the committee. \nThe State Department is actively discussing the political prisoner issue with the Burmese government, opposition political parties, and representatives of some ethnic groups. In these discussions, U.S. officials emphasize the importance of the release of all political prisoners for the further easing or removal of U.S. sanctions on Burma. However, some Burmese organizations are concerned about a perceived lack of U.S. government interest in the continuing arrest and detention of political prisoners and the lack of support for released political prisoners.\nThe status of Burma\u2019s political prisoners is likely to figure prominently in any future congressional consideration of U.S. policy in Burma. Congress may choose to examine the political prisoner issue in Burma either separately or as part of a broader review of U.S. policy towards Burma. This report will be updated as circumstances require.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42363", "sha1": "f04401c22e706c555c793a3e3c4fac6d16ead65f", "filename": "files/20150224_R42363_f04401c22e706c555c793a3e3c4fac6d16ead65f.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42363", "sha1": "daefa18edbd658b11a6674ed985f53a5e18b2e85", "filename": "files/20150224_R42363_daefa18edbd658b11a6674ed985f53a5e18b2e85.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 473, "name": "Southeast Asia, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc812457/", "id": "R42363_2014Sep15", "date": "2014-09-15", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140915_R42363_39d00a8e542e5e372e78272e7ff9c1c05000ff8c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140915_R42363_39d00a8e542e5e372e78272e7ff9c1c05000ff8c.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc284455/", "id": "R42363_2014Jan24", "date": "2014-01-24", "retrieved": "2014-05-06T21:21:54", "title": "Burma's Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report discusses the release of Burma's political prisoners and the role that plays in U.S. policy and Burma's political future.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140124_R42363_292abaa77c4aa91bd7dbf0e6e8642017c8a6b88f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140124_R42363_292abaa77c4aa91bd7dbf0e6e8642017c8a6b88f.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Burma -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Burma -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Burma", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Burma" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Burma", "name": "Politics and government -- Burma" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc272024/", "id": "R42363_2013Dec02", "date": "2013-12-02", "retrieved": "2014-02-03T19:46:03", "title": "Burma's Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report discusses the release of Burma's political prisoners and the role that plays in U.S. policy and Burma's political future.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20131202_R42363_87cd421fa81e1d5754774b2c3ee15ac3fec3f7e2.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20131202_R42363_87cd421fa81e1d5754774b2c3ee15ac3fec3f7e2.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Burma -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Burma -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Burma", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Burma" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Burma", "name": "Politics and government -- Burma" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc272025/", "id": "R42363_2013Oct30", "date": "2013-10-30", "retrieved": "2014-02-03T19:46:03", "title": "Burma's Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report discusses the current issues in Burma (Myanmar) in regards to political prisoners and the resulting U.S. sanctions against the nation. It includes an introduction and definitions; information about current estimates of prisoners and prisoner releases; the relation of political prisoners, parliamentary elections and national reconciliation; and U.S. sanctions and U.S. efforts regarding political prisoners, as well as relevant issues for Congress to consider.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20131030_R42363_e9fb604a96e5bada66631ce65920e18d822d3fbd.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20131030_R42363_e9fb604a96e5bada66631ce65920e18d822d3fbd.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Burma -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Burma -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Burma", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Burma" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Trade", "name": "Trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462201/", "id": "R42363_2013May14", "date": "2013-05-14", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Burma's Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report discusses the current issues in Burma (Myanmar) in regards to political prisoners and the resulting U.S. sanctions against the nation. 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The release of Burma's political prisoners has a central role in U.S. policy and Burma's political future. Many of the U.S. sanctions on Burma were implemented after Burma's ruling military junta suppressed protests and detained many political prisoners. In addition, the removal of many of the existing U.S. sanctions requires the release of\r\nall political prisoners in Burma.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120424_R42363_997545fbd0141b08557b9dc2d3acac777cfef15b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120424_R42363_997545fbd0141b08557b9dc2d3acac777cfef15b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Myanmar - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Myanmar - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Myanmar", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Myanmar" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Trade", "name": "Trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc821500/", "id": "R42363_2012Mar01", "date": "2012-03-01", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Burma\u2019s Political Prisoners and U.S. Sanctions", "summary": "This report discusses the current issues in Burma (Myanmar) in regards to political prisoners and the resulting U.S. sanctions against the nation. 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The release of Burma's political prisoners has a central role in U.S. policy and Burma's political future. Many of the U.S. sanctions on Burma were implemented after Burma's ruling military junta suppressed protests and detained many political prisoners. In addition, the removal of many of the existing U.S. sanctions requires the release of all political prisoners in Burma.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120213_R42363_825650d29aba82529af7df5f5f142f6b5b7d5385.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120213_R42363_825650d29aba82529af7df5f5f142f6b5b7d5385.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Myanmar - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Myanmar - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Myanmar", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Myanmar" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Trade", "name": "Trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations", "Asian Affairs", "Foreign Affairs", "National Defense" ] }