,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bjfi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #aj1 #bjai ,mr4  
,m>key 7= himself & ,mrs4 ,blackburn7   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign
 ,relations  ,a ,,bill  ,to assi/       
prison]s ( consci5ce 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 ,! 
,unit$ ,/ates has be5 a long/&+ fri5d & 
p>tn] ( ! p ( ,burma1 & has s\ght to    
promote _! democratic aspirations4  7#b7
 ,despite a campaign pl$ge t ,aung ,san 
,suu ,kyi & ! ,national ,league =       
,democracy 7,,nld7 w\ld n arre/ anyone z
 political prison]s1 !y h fail$ to      
fulfill ?is promise s9ce !y took control
 ( ,burma's ,union ,p>liam5t & !        
gov]nm5t's executive bran* 9 ,april     
#bjaf4  7#c7 ,z ( ,m>* #a1 #bjai1 !re 7 
#ced political prison]s 9 ,burma1 #dc ( 
!m s]v+ s5t5ces1 #hf await+ trial inside

 prison1 & #bbe await+ trial outside    
prison accord+ to ! ,assi/ance          
,association = ,political ,prison]s 9   
,burma4  7#d7 ,dur+ its #c 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#e7 ,!        
,burmese security =ces h hi/orically &  
rec5tly us$ a range ( repressive laws to
 arre/ & prosecute political prison]s & 
prison]s ( consci5ce4 ,^! laws include  
provisions ( ! ,p5al ,code1 ! ,peaceful 
,assembly & ,peaceful ,procession ,act1 
! #aijh ,unlawful ,associations ,act1 ! 
#bjac ,telecommunications ,act1 & !     
#aibc ,(ficial ,secrets ,act4  7#f7 ,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 x appe>s t !  
,committee nev] ev5 met & no in=mation  
has be5 made publicly available reg>d+  
its m&ate1 proc$ures1 or activities4 ,! 
lack ( in=mation & action appe>s to     
ju/ify conc]ns t ! ,committee _h be5    
recon/itut$ m]ely to deflect gr[+       
national & int]national criticism1 r ?an
 to resolve ! issue ( rema9+ political  
prison]s4  7#g7 ,on ,decemb] #ab1 #bjag1
 ,wa ,lone & ,kyaw ,soe ,oo1 two ,reut]s
 report]s cov]+ ! crisis 9 ,rakh9e      
,/ate1 7 entrapp$1 arre/$1 & *>g$ )     
violat+ ! ,(ficial ,secrets ,act1       
cont9u+ a tr5d ( re/rict+ m$ia & free   
spee* & attempt+ to ?w>t cov]age ( !    
ev5ts 9 ,rakh9e ,/ate4  7#h7 ,on        
,septemb] #c1 #bjah1 ,wa ,lone & ,kyaw  
,soe ,oo 7 convict$ & s5t5c$ to sev5    
ye>s 9 prison4 ,aft] #ah mon?s 9 prison1

 !y 7 releas$ f prison4 ,on ,may #bh1   
#bjah1 ,wa ,lone & ,kyaw ,soe ,oo       
p]sonally receiv$ ! ,pulitz] ,prize t 0 
aw>d$ to !m :ile !y 7 imprison$4  7#i7  
,accord+ to ,burma free-spee*           
organization ,a?an1 #dd j\rnali/s & #adb
 activi/s h fac$ trial s9ce #bjaf1 *>g$ 
) repressive laws us$ to /ifle diss5t at
 ! same "t re/rictions on activi/ gr\ps 
are be+ tight5$4 ,9 ! fir/ ?ree mon?s ( 
#bjai1 ?ree ,ka*9 activi/s 7 ea* s5t5c$ 
to six mon?s 9 prison 9 connection )    
peaceful anti-w> prote/s1 a prote/]     
aga9/ ! ,myitsone dam 7a controv]sial   
,*9ese back$-hydrop[] project7 0 *>g$ = 
peaceful demon/rations1 & police us$    
excessive =ce to crackd[n on peaceful   
prote/]s 9 ,kayah ,/ate1 ) "s ( !       
demon/rators *>g$ "u vaguely word$1     
repressive laws4 ,"o ( ! activi/s1 ,nang
 ,pu1 0 releas$ on ,april #a1 #bjai1 on 
heal? gr\nds4  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 0 subsequ5tly s5t5c$ to
 two ye>s & six mon?s 9 prison4  #c4    
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,prison] (
 consci5ce ,! t]m prison] ( consci5ce   
means any p]son :o--  7,a7 is imprison$ 
or o!rwise physically re/rict$ solely = 
! peaceful ex]cise ( 8 or h] human      
rights2 &  7,b7 has n us$ viol5ce or    
advocat$ viol5ce or hatr$4  7#b7        
,political prison] ,! t]m political     
prison] applies to a p]son :o has be5   
deta9$ or imprison$ on politically      
motivat$ gr\nds4 ,political prison]s may
 h us$ or advocat$ viol5ce or hatr$1 or 
9 "s cases !y may h committ$ "s m9or    
(f5se1 :i* is a pretext = a politically 
motivat$ imprisonm5t4  #d4 ,/atem5t (   
policy ,x is ! policy ( ! ,unit$        
,/ates-- 7#a7 to support ,burma's       
democratic transition to a democratic1  
peaceful1 & prosp]\s /ate2  7#b7 t      
prison]s ( consci5ce & political        

prison]s 9 ,burma %\ld be               
unconditionally & imm$iately releas$ &  
all *>ges or o!r proce$+s aga9/ !m %\ld 
be ab&on$2  7#c7 to use all diplomatic  
tools to ensure t all prison]s (        
consci5ce & political prison]s 9 ,burma 
are releas$2 &  7#d7 to support &       
pressure ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,burma 9 ! repeal
 & am5dm5t ( all laws t violate ! rights
 to fre$om ( expression1 peaceful       
assembly1 & association to ensure ! laws
 describ$ 9 section #b7e7 comply )      
int]national human rights /&>ds4  #e4   
,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
 & to curr5t & =m] prison]s ( consci5ce 
& political prison]s 9 ,burma4          
,assi/ance %all include ! foll[+        
activities3  7#a7 ,support = !          
docum5tation ( human rights violations )
 respect to prison]s ( consci5ce &      
politically motivat$ 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 ,! delegation (   
specific ,unit$ ,/ates mission /aff :o w
 obs]ve trials 9 politically motivat$   
cases4  #f4 ,s5se ( ,congress on *ild   
soldi]s ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t--    
7#a7 =m] *ild soldi] ,aung ,ko ,htwe    
%\ld be imm$iately & unconditionally    
releas$2 &  7#b7 no "o %\ld be 9 jail = 
freely express+ !mselves nor = speak+   
aga9/ ! milit>y's atroci\s use ( *ild   

soldi]s 9 any ar5a4  #g4 ,s5se (        
,congress on peaceful assembly ,x is !  
s5se ( ,congress t-- 7#a7 ! ,gov]nm5t ( 
,burma mu/ imm$iately drop defamation   
*>ges aga9/ ,lum ,zawng & ,zau ,jet1 two
 ,ka*9 activi/s :o l$ a peaceful rally 9
 ,mytky9a1 ! capital ( ,ka*9 ,/ate1 ^:  
crime is peacefully call+ = humanit>ian 
access to ?\s&s ( displac$ civilians & =
 an end to ! arm$ conflicts 9 nor!rn    
,burma2 &  7#b7 ! prosecution ( ^!      
activi/s 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 ( civilian populations4  #h4
 ,s5se ( ,congress on press fre$om ,x is
 ! s5se ( ,congress t-- 7#a7 ! ,gov]nm5t
 ( ,burma mu/ take /eps to significantly
 improve ! climate = j\rnali/s1 includ+ 
end+ ! en=cem5t ( draconian laws t      
re/rict ! fre$om ( expression & releas+ 
all j\rnali/s imprison$ = fulfill+ _!   
pr(essional responsibilities2  7#b7     
press fre$om is a fundam5tal human "r & 

%\ld be upheld & protect$ 9 ,burma &    
ev]y:]e2 &  7#c7 to lock up j\rnali/s   
h>k5s back to ! days ( milit>y junta    
rule4