Appeal To Release Burmese Bloggers

Today Paris-based Reporters Without Borders launched an appeal for the release of two prominent Burmese political prisoners.

Last November blogger Nay Phone Latt and famous comedian Zarganar were sentenced to 20 years and 59 years respectively for criticising the Burmese junta via the internet.

Today, on the first anniversary of the arrest of Nay Phone Latt, the media rights group urged the international community not to forget about the plight of these two courageous bloggers.

" On this sad anniversary for Nay Phone Latt, we are launching a petition for his and Zarganar's release," Reporters Without Boarders said. "They did nothing to deserve these punishments and must be freed. Nay Phone Latt's only crime was to be caught in possession of a film regarded as subversive by the military government. Zarganar was convicted solely for expressing his views."

Since last October more than 200 dissidents in Burma have received prison terms of up to 100 years.