Up to 20 Burmese political prisoners are included in an amnesty of 46 prisoners on Tuesday, democracy activists said.

A 88-Generation Students Group member, Ko Ko Gyi, himself a former political prisoner, said former student activist Aye Aung, who was serving a 59-year sentence for distributing pamphlets and taking part in a protest during a 1998 pro-democracy uprising, was among those released. 2012.07.03 Mizzima

More than 40 prisoners were released from prison today in Burma today during an anticipated amnesty granted by the government.

The exact number of political prisoners that remain behind bars varies among the lists compiled by human right’s groups. The AAPP (Burma)’s most recent survey in June claims there were 465 verified incarcerated political dissidents in the country. During a National League for Democracy press conference in Rangoon on Tuesday, Aung San Suu Kyi called for the release of the country’s remaining prisoners of conscience. “Regarding the political prisoners, we’ve made calls for the release all of them,” said the country’s opposition leader who noted that the NLD believes there are 336 prisoners dissidents still imprisoned.

“I’m neither grateful nor happy for being released,” said Than Zaw, who was freed after being locked up in July 1989. “I was imprisoned for so many years – more than two decades – for a crime I didn’t commit.” Than Zaw was originally given the death penalty, but the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. The mastermind behind the bombing was a major in the Karen National Union Ko Ko Naing, who later confessed to the crime and was released in 2005. However, Than Zaw remained incarcerated after the actual bomber was freed.

“I wasted my youth inside the prison so there’s nothing to be grateful or happy about,” said Than Zaw during a phone interview with DVB. “I was imprisoned because of the SLORC/SPDC’s NLD-phobia.” Student leader Aye Aung, who has been jailed in Kale Prison since 1998, was among the more high profile prisoners of conscience pardoned on Tuesday. “I think freedom can only be achieved when there is safety,” Aye Aung told DVB by phone. “If there is rule of law and if the law can really protect (an individual) with safety, then we can have real freedom.” 2012.07.03 DVB