NAYPYITAW, Myanmar, May 17 (UPI) -- A human rights group says Myanmar's decision to lift the death penalty and reduce prison terms doesn't meet a U.N. call for release of all political prisoners.
In Naypyidaw Monday, Myanmar President Thein Sein ordered the commutation of death sentences to life in prison and the reduction of other prisoners' sentences by one year. Prisoners with less than a year to go in their sentences presumably will be released, New York's Human Rights Watch said.
Prison Department Director General Zaw Win said 348 death-row prisoners' sentences will be commuted to life sentences, the Jakarta (Indonesia) Post reported.
But the human rights group called the move "a slap in the face" to Vijay Nambiar, the U.N. secretary-general's envoy to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
"The government's gesture will be welcomed by a great many prisoners in Burma, but for the 2,100 political prisoners unjustly serving sentences of up to 65 years, the one-year reduction is a sick joke," said Elaine Pearson, Human Rights Watch's deputy Asia director.
Since presidential elections in November, there have been no significant releases of political prisoners in Myanmar despite calls from many governments around the world and from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the organization said.
