Obama condemns new restrictions on Nobel winner Suu Kyi

[babylonsister]

Obama condemns new restrictions on Nobel winner Suu Kyi
Posted: August 11th, 2009 03:23 PM ET


WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Barack Obama Tuesday blasted the sentencing of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to 18 more months of house arrest as a violation of "universal principles of human rights."

"I join the international community in calling for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate unconditional release," Obama said.

He called the verdict "unjust" and said "thousands of other political prisoners in Burma {an alternate name for Myanmar}… have been denied their liberty because of their pursuit of a government that respects the will, rights, and aspirations of all Burmese citizens. They, too, should be freed."

Obama was joining a chorus of condemnation from figures ranging from the Dalai Lama to the U.N. secretary-general.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "saddened and angry at the verdict… following the sham trial of Aung San Suu Kyi."

"The U.N. Security Council — whose will has been flouted — must also now respond resolutely and impose a world-wide ban on the sale of arms to the regime," he said, calling the verdict a "purely political sentence designed to prevent her from taking part in the regime's planned elections next year."

more...

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/11/obama-condemns-new-restrictions-on-nobel-winner-suu-kyi/

[Cha]

1. Thanks President

Obama.