Burmese military authorities have released nine democracy activists arrested a week ago while handing out leaflets on human rights.
The nine young men, all members of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, were arrested in the capital Rangoon as they passed out copies of the U.N. human rights declaration.
A military intelligence officer (Nay Soe) said the youths were detained for being a public nuisance.
Here in Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesman (Adam Ereli) condemned the arrests -- saying nobody should be detained for peacefully expressing their views.
The protests occurred on the first anniversary of a government-backed mob's attack on Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters. Aung San Suu Kyi and her deputy, Tin Oo, are still isolated under house arrest.