The European Union has criticized Burma's military government for the arrest of activists who protested against fuel price increases.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the presidency of the European Council said the EU condemns the decision to detain individuals who were exercising their basic right to peaceful demonstration.
The EU urged the military government to release all political prisoners, particularly those arrested in the last few days. The statement also called for the release of opposition leaders, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been
under house arrest for most of the past 18 years.
Burmese authorities have detained at least 50 activists since the protests began more than a week ago.
Demonstrations are extremely rare in Burma, where more than 12,00 activists are imprisoned.
The last major demonstrations in Burma took place in 1988. The student-led uprising was directed at the military government and triggered by frustration with the country's poor economy. An estimated three-thousand people were killed when the army crushed the protests.
Information for this report is provided by AP and AFP.
