A U.N. human rights official has called on Burma's military government to immediately release three democracy activists detained Wednesday.
U.N. diplomat Paulo Sergio Pinheiro issued a statement today saying the detention of the opposition party members brings into question the government's commitment to democratic reform. Pinherio is assigned to monitor the human rights situation in Burma.
The three were detained hours before a ceremony Wednesday marking the anniversary of the founding of Burma's opposition National League for Democracy (N.L.D).
Pinherio says he is worried about the activists because of numerous recent reports of human rights violations during pre-trial detention in Burma.
The N.L.D. won national elections by a landslide in 1990, but Burma's military did not allow it to assume power.
