A United Nations rights official has condemned Burma's extended detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the special human rights envoy for Burma, issued a statement accusing the military junta of depriving the country of political rights. He called for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, along with more than one-thousand other political prisoners.
Tuesday, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations called for a Security Council briefing on the situation in Burma.
John Bolton said Burma's military government has committed massive human rights abuses, and cited unspecified press reports that the government is seeking nuclear power capabilities.
Earlier this month, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution criticizing systematic human rights violations in Burma.