,i #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bcbg ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,april #ae1 #bjai,mr4 ,lev9 ( ,mi*igan 7= himself & ,mrs4 ,wagn]7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate to provide assi/ance to civil society organizations 9 ,burma t "w to secure ! release ( prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma1 & assi/ance to curr5t & =m] prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,burma ,political ,prison]s ,assi/ance ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,aung ,san ,suu ,kyi & ! ,national ,league = ,democracy 7,,nld7 pl$g$ t !y w\ld n arre/ anyone z political prison]s1 b h fail$ to fulfill ?is promise s9ce !y took control ( ,burma's ,union ,p>liam5t & ! ,gov]nm5t's executive bran* 9 ,april #bjaf4 7#b7 ,z ( ,m>* #a1 #bjai1 !re are #ced political prison]s 9 ,burma1 #dc ( !m s]v+ s5t5ces1 #hf await+ trial inside prison1 & #bbe await+ trial outside prison1 accord+ to ! ,assi/ance ,association = ,political ,prison]s 9 ,burma4 7#c7 ,dur+ its ?ree ye>s 9 p[]1 ! ,,nld ,gov]nm5t has provid$ p>dons = ,burma's political prison]s on ?ree occasions4 ,/ate ,c\nsellor ,aung ,san ,suu ,kyi took /eps to secure ! release ( ne>ly #bce political prison]s4 ,on ,may #bc1 #bjag1 =m] ,presid5t ,ht9 ,kyaw grant$ p>dons to #bei prison]s1 includ+ #hi political prison]s4 ,on ,april #ag1 #bjah1 curr5t ,presid5t ,w9 ,my9t p>don$ #h1eda prison]s1 includ+ #cf political prison]s4 7#d7 ,! ,burmese security =ces h us$ colonial-era laws to arre/ & *>ge political prison]s & prison]s ( consci5ce4 ,^! laws include b are n limit$ to provisions ( ! ,p5al ,code1 ! ,peaceful ,assembly & ,peaceful ,procession ,act1 ! #aijh ,unlawful ,associations ,act1 ! #bjac ,telecommunications ,act1 & ! #aibc ,(ficial ,secrets ,act4 7#e7 ,on ,janu>y #e1 #bjae1 !n-,presid5t ,!9 ,se9 ann\nc$ ! recon/itution ( ! ,scrut9iz+ ,committee into ! ,prison]s ( ,consci5ce ,affairs ,committee1 :i* 0 to comprise #bh memb]s & :i* w\ld promptly c>ry out prison]s ( consci5ce affairs at ! grassroots level4 ,h[ev]1 ! ,committee nev] met & no in=mation has be5 made publicly available reg>d+ its m&ate1 proc$ures1 or activities4 7#f7 ,on ,decemb] #ab1 #bjag1 ,reut]s report]s ,wa ,lone & ,kyaw ,soe ,oo 7 arre/$ & *>g$ ) violat+ ! ,(ficial ,secrets ,act1 cont9u+ a tr5d ( re/rict+ m$ia & free spee* & attempt+ to ?w>t cov]age ( ! ev5ts 9 ,rakh9e ,/ate4 7#g7 ,on ,septemb] #c1 #bjah1 ,wa ,lone & ,kyaw ,soe ,oo 7 convict$ & s5t5c$ to sev5 ye>s 9 prison4 ,"t ,magaz9e includ$ pictures ( ! two report]s on ! cov] ( its ,p]son ( ! ,ye> issue on ,decemb] #aj1 #bjah1 z two ( ! ,gu>dians & ! ,w> on ,tru?4 7#h7 ,accord+ to ,burmese free spee* organization ,a?an1 #dd j\rnali/s & #adb activi/s s9ce #bjaf 7 *>g$ ) colonial-era laws us$ to /ifle diss5t & re/rict activi/ gr\ps & h fac$ trial4 7#i7 ,s9ce ,decemb] #bjah1 ?ree ,ka*9 activi/s 7 s5t5c$ to six mon?s 9 prison 9 connection ) peaceful antiw> prote/s2 a prote/] demon/rat+ aga9/ ! ,myitsone ,dam 7a controv]sial ,*9ese-back$ hydrop[] project7 0 *>g$ = peaceful demon/rations1 & police us$ excessive =ce to crack d[n on peaceful prote/]s 9 ,kayah ,/ate1 ) "s ( ! demon/rators *>g$ "u vaguely word$1 repressive laws4 7#aj7 ,on ,augu/ #ah1 #bjag1 ,aung ,ko ,htwe 0 arre/$ because he gave a m$ia int]view 9 :i* he describ$ 8 exp]i5ce z a *ild soldi]1 includ+ h[ ! milit>y abduct$ & =cibly recruit$ him :5 he 0 #ac ye>s old4 ,he 0 *>g$ "u ,section #eje7;b7 ( ,burma's ,p5al ,code4 ,he faces up to two-&-a-half ye>s 9 jail f ! date ( 8 conviction4 #c4 ,*ild soldi]s ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t =m] *ild soldi] ,aung ,ko ,htwe %\ld be imm$iately & unconditionally releas$1 & t no "o %\ld be jail$ = freely express+ him or h]self or = speak+ aga9/ ! use ( *ild soldi]s4 #d4 ,peaceful assembly ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t ,burma mu/ imm$iately drop defamation *>ges aga9/ ! ?ree ,ka*9 activi/s1 ,lum ,zawng1 ,nang ,pu1 & ,zau ,jet1 :o l$ a peaceful rally 9 ,mytky9a1 ! capital ( ,ka*9 ,/ate 9 ,april #bjah1 & t ! prosecution ( ,lum ,zawng1 ,nang ,pu1 & ,zau ,jet is an attempt by ! ,burmese au?orities to intimidate1 h>ass1 & sil5ce community lead]s & human rights def5d]s :o speak out ab\t milit>y abuses & ! impact on civilian populations4 #e4 ,press fre$om ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t ,burma mu/ imm$iately & unconditionally release ,wa ,lone & ,kyaw ,soe ,oo1 & t ! imprisonm5t ( ^! two ,reut]s j\rnali/s = docum5t+ & report+ ! crimes "u int]national law committ$ aga9/ ! ,roh+ya p is a gross inju/ice4 ,congress holds t press fre$om is a fundam5tal human "r & %\ld be upheld & protect$ 9 ,burma & ev]y:]e4 #f4 ,/atem5t ( policy ,x is ! policy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates t-- 7#a7 all prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma %\ld be unconditionally & imm$iately releas$2 7#b7 ! ,adm9i/ration & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate %\ld use all ( _! diplomatic tools to ensure t all prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma are releas$2 & 7#c7 ! ,burmese ,gov]nm5t %\ld repeal or am5d all laws t violate ! rights to fre$om ( expression1 peaceful assembly1 or association1 & ensure t laws su* z ! ,telecommunications ,law ( #bjac & ! ,unlawful ,associations ,act ( #aijh1 & laws relat+ to ! "r to peaceful assembly1 all comply ) int]national human rights /&>ds4 #g4 ,political prison]s assi/ance ,! ,secret>y ( ,/ate %all provide assi/ance to civil society organizations 9 ,burma t "w to secure ! release ( prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma1 & assi/ance to curr5t & =m] prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma4 ,su* assi/ance %all include ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,support = ! docum5tation ( human rights violations ) respect to prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s4 7#b7 ,support = advocacy 9 ,burma to raise aw>5ess ( issues relat+ to prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s4 7#c7 ,support = ef=ts to repeal or am5d laws t are us$ to imprison individuals z ei!r prison]s ( consci5ce or political prison]s4 7#d7 ,support1 includ+ travel co/s1 & legal fees1 = families ( prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s4 7#e7 ,support = heal?1 includ+ m5tal heal?1 & po/-inc>c]ation assi/ance 9 ga9+ access to education & employm5t opportunities or o!r =ms ( rep>ation to enable =m] prison]s ( consci5ce & political prison]s to resume a normal life4 7#f7 ,! creation1 9 consultation ) =m] political prison]s & prison]s ( consci5ce1 _! families1 & repres5tatives1 ( an indep5d5t prison] review me*anism 9 ,burma to review ! cases ( individuals :o may h be5 *>g$ or depriv$ ( _! lib]ty = peacefully ex]cis+ _! human rights1 review all laws us$ to arre/1 prosecute1 & puni% individuals z political prison]s & prison]s ( consci5ce1 & provide recomm5dations to ! ,burmese ,gov]nm5t = ! repeal or am5dm5t ( all su* laws4 #h4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,prison] ( consci5ce ,! t]m prison] ( consci5ce means a p]son imprison$ or o!rwise physically re/rict$ prim>ily because ( 8 or h] political1 religi\s1 or o!r consci5ti\sly held beliefs1 e?nic orig91 sex1 race1 e?nicity1 language1 national or social orig91 economic /atus1 bir?1 sexual ori5tation1 or g5d] id5tity1 or = ex]cis+ 8 or h] "r to fre$om ( expression or o!r human rights1 & :o has n us$ viol5ce or advocat$ viol5ce4 7#b7 ,political prison] ,! t]m political prison] means a p]son :o is arre/$1 deta9$1 or imprison$ = political reasons "u political *>ges or wrongfully "u crim9al & civil *>ges because ( 8 or h] p]ceiv$ or kn[n active role 91 p]ceiv$ or kn[n support+ role 91 or p]ceiv$ or kn[n association ) activities promot+ fre$om1 ju/ice1 equality1 human rights1 or civil & political rights1 includ+ e?nic rights4