Reports from Burma say at least 249 political prisoners have been released.
A spokesman for the National League for Democracy says the prisoners were released from various jails across Burma today-Wednesday.
The NLD spokesman tells VOA that among several prisoners expected to be released later today is journalist Win Tin, Burma's longest-serving prisoner of conscience. A senior member of the NLD, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1989 by the ruling military junta . Journalist Sein Hla Oo is also scheduled to be released.
A human rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says that while it welcomes the releases, it has learned that at least five Burmese citizens were arrested last Saturday for listening to broadcasts from the VOA and the BBC.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
