Burma: Beating of Former Political Prisoner

The United States condemns the March 17 fatal public beating of former political prisoner Thet Naing Oo by Rangoon police and fire officials. This incident is the latest in a string of increasingly violent acts targeting members of the political opposition that highlight the brutality and repressiveness of the Burmese regime. The responsible officials should be held accountable for this unconscionable act. The United States calls on the Burmese regime to renounce violence against its own people, to release all political prisoners, and to engage all elements of Burmese political life in a meaningful dialogue that empowers the people to determine their own future.

2006/293