ONI Country Profi le
253
that only 91 people remained in detention as of December 2007, Human Rights Watch
claimed the number to be in the hundreds.
7
Between October and December 2008, around 300 individuals were sentenced to
harsh prison terms for political crimes.
8 Most were tried by police prosecutors and
convicted by judges operating from prison courts, including Insein prison — a prison
run by the junta for the purpose of repressing political dissidents and notorious for
its inhumane conditions.
9 In November, it was reported that 150 critics of the government had received imprisonment terms of two to 65 years.
10 According to the UN
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, 16 journalists and
bloggers were in prison in March 2009.
11 As of 2010, there were an estimated 2,100
“ prisoners of conscience ” in Burma.
12
A general election in Burma was held on November 7, 2010. It was the fi rst election
in Burma since 1990 when the National League for Democracy (NLD) — the major
opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi — won a majority of 392 out of 492 seats.
However, the State Law and Order Restoration (SPDC ’ s predecessor) refused to hand
over power to the NLD and imprisoned many of the NLD ’ s members, including Suu
Kyi.
13 The 2010 election was a part of the SPDC ’ s plan to move the country from military to democratic rule under the “ road map to democracy ” plan. However, the general
sentiment within the country was that the election would only consolidate military
rule.
14
In March 2010, the SPDC laid down ground rules for the election with controversial
electoral laws and bylaws that undermined participation by opposition parties and
prohibited those with criminal convictions from participating in the election.
15 These
actions were understood by many as contrary to the democratic process because the
move essentially prohibited the participation of many prodemocracy leaders who had
been arrested in the aftermath of the 1990 election.
By October 2010, 40 political parties had been approved by the electoral commission to participate in the election, but observers predicted that the race would come
down to three contenders: the National Democracy Force (established by former
members of the NLD), the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), and the
National Unity Party (NUP). Both the USDP and the NUP had the full backing of the
junta, with the USDP consisting of former military offi cers.
16 Due to draconian election
laws and constraints imposed by the military ’ s controversial constitution, as well as
its size and budget, a USDP victory was expected. In the lead-up to the election, parties
opposed to the junta complained about harassment, and Suu Kyi called for a boycott
of the election. Foreign media and observers were barred from the country during the
election.
On November 9, 2010, with 80 percent of all votes, the USDP was declared the
winner of the general election.
17 The USDP claimed that 70 percent of eligible voters
had participated in the election.
18 Although many opposition groups condemned the
253
that only 91 people remained in detention as of December 2007, Human Rights Watch
claimed the number to be in the hundreds.
7
Between October and December 2008, around 300 individuals were sentenced to
harsh prison terms for political crimes.
8 Most were tried by police prosecutors and
convicted by judges operating from prison courts, including Insein prison — a prison
run by the junta for the purpose of repressing political dissidents and notorious for
its inhumane conditions.
9 In November, it was reported that 150 critics of the government had received imprisonment terms of two to 65 years.
10 According to the UN
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, 16 journalists and
bloggers were in prison in March 2009.
11 As of 2010, there were an estimated 2,100
“ prisoners of conscience ” in Burma.
12
A general election in Burma was held on November 7, 2010. It was the fi rst election
in Burma since 1990 when the National League for Democracy (NLD) — the major
opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi — won a majority of 392 out of 492 seats.
However, the State Law and Order Restoration (SPDC ’ s predecessor) refused to hand
over power to the NLD and imprisoned many of the NLD ’ s members, including Suu
Kyi.
13 The 2010 election was a part of the SPDC ’ s plan to move the country from military to democratic rule under the “ road map to democracy ” plan. However, the general
sentiment within the country was that the election would only consolidate military
rule.
14
In March 2010, the SPDC laid down ground rules for the election with controversial
electoral laws and bylaws that undermined participation by opposition parties and
prohibited those with criminal convictions from participating in the election.
15 These
actions were understood by many as contrary to the democratic process because the
move essentially prohibited the participation of many prodemocracy leaders who had
been arrested in the aftermath of the 1990 election.
By October 2010, 40 political parties had been approved by the electoral commission to participate in the election, but observers predicted that the race would come
down to three contenders: the National Democracy Force (established by former
members of the NLD), the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), and the
National Unity Party (NUP). Both the USDP and the NUP had the full backing of the
junta, with the USDP consisting of former military offi cers.
16 Due to draconian election
laws and constraints imposed by the military ’ s controversial constitution, as well as
its size and budget, a USDP victory was expected. In the lead-up to the election, parties
opposed to the junta complained about harassment, and Suu Kyi called for a boycott
of the election. Foreign media and observers were barred from the country during the
election.
On November 9, 2010, with 80 percent of all votes, the USDP was declared the
winner of the general election.
17 The USDP claimed that 70 percent of eligible voters
had participated in the election.
18 Although many opposition groups condemned the