Two human rights groups have asked a United Nations commission to rule on the status of ten dissidents imprisoned in Burma.
The United States Campaign for Burma and the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners say the dissidents are being held under Burma's State Protection Act, which calls for the detention of individuals for up to five years without trial or legal appeal.
The groups are calling for the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to rule on whether the act is a violation of international law.
Among the 10 dissidents are U Tin Oo, the chairman of the pro-democracy National League for Democracy.
The United Nations has passed several resolutions calling for the release of all Burmese political prisoners.
Information for this report is provided by AFP.
