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President Win Myint has been in prison since February 2021 when the military overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in a coup, sparking nationwide protests and an armed resistance movement across the country.
Other senior officials, including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, remain behind bars.
Release all prisoners: Guterres
Responding to these developments, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres highlighting the need to continue to find a solution to the crisis in Myanmar.
“The Secretary-General takes note of the amnesty announcement, including the release of prisoners, the reduction of sentences and the conversion of death sentences to life imprisonment, and the news of the release of President Win Myint,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement. a note to journalists.
“He underscored the need for meaningful efforts to ensure the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to create conditions conducive to a credible political process.”
The Secretary-General further encouraged continued dialogue between all relevant stakeholders and his Special Envoy, Julie Bishop, on how the UN together with regional bloc ASEAN and other partners “can help support efforts towards a peaceful solution in the interests of the people of Myanmar as called for by the UN. Security Council and the General Assembly.”
Human rights chief ‘relieved’
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomed Friday’s news.
Volker Turk tweeted that he was “relieved” by the long-delayed release of President Win Myint and other prisoners, as well as the commutation of death sentences.
“All those unjustly detained since the coup – including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi – must be released immediately and unconditionally,” he said. “There must be an end to the unrelenting violence against all the people of Myanmar.”
Afghanistan: Thousands of people are displaced due to cross-border clashes with Pakistan
Humanitarian activists continue to warn of growing needs in Afghanistan following cross-border hostilities with Pakistan that began in late February.
More than 94,000 people in six provinces have been displaced, according to UN aid coordination office Ocha. Around 160,000 people experience hunger and around 90,000 people lose access to health services.
The fighting—including shelling, airstrikes and clashes—has damaged or destroyed homes, health facilities, schools and other civilian infrastructure.
Humanitarian operations have also been hampered, while the danger of explosions remains a threat, with hundreds of civilian casualties reported.
This week, shootings killed one person in Afghanistan and three people in Pakistan.
Another school in Kunar province in northeastern Afghanistan was attacked on Wednesday and badly damaged, aid partners said, but no casualties were reported.
OCHA noted that although the main supply road between the two districts of Kunar and neighboring Nuristan province reopened on Monday after being closed for two months, the UN mission remained suspended due to security concerns.
Border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan also remain largely closed.
The IAEA expert mission team visited the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and the surrounding area. (submit)
Ukraine: Repeated power outages at nuclear power plants
The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine lost all off-site power twice this week, raising concerns over nuclear safety as fighting continues, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Friday.
The blackout occurred after the last remaining external power line at the power plant was cut, forcing operators to rely on emergency diesel generators to maintain critical safety systems.
This marks the 14thth This has been the time when all electricity outside the power plant site has been cut off since Russia launched its massive invasion more than four years ago.
“Repeated losses of external power supplies once again highlight the vulnerability of ZNPP amidst ongoing conflicts and persistent risks to nuclear safety and security,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General.
The main 750 kV power line in Dniprovska, which previously supplied the plant, has been offline since March 24, leaving the facility dependent on a single 330 kV backup line that has failed twice in recent days.
IAEA experts stationed at the plant continue to monitor the situation and await the results of an internal investigation into the incident.
