“So far, however, his words have not translated into real and concrete action towards emptying Burma’s [Myanmar’s] prisons of all political prisoners and ensuring no one is arrested for their political beliefs or activities,” it said in a statement.

AAPP said it acknowledged the President’s “powerful” message and said that the move was necessary for change and for national reconciliation.

But it said that hundreds of political prisoners still remain behind bars and the issues surrounding thousands who have been conditionally released requires attention.

“President U Thein Sein must use the power of the presidential office to completely wipe conditions attached to the release of former political prisoners and widen the mandate of the Committee to Scrutinize Remaining Political Prisoners so that the hundreds of people currently facing formal charges for their peaceful demonstrations and political activity can have the charges against them dropped once and for all,” said AAPP.

The NGO urged Thein Sein to broaden the mandate of the Committee to Scrutinize Remaining Political Prisoners so as to include detainees and individuals currently under trial. In this way, it said, Naypyitaw will preempt the emergence of a new batch of political prisoners in the country.

“This effort must be coupled with ensuring all official members of the Committee are of equal standing and are meaningfully included in the decision-making process in a transparent manner,” the June 7 statement said.

AAPP also called on the President to retroactively revoke conditions imposed by Article 401 (1) for all former political prisoners released under this provision through the signing of a presidential order.

“For real change to occur, President Thein Sein must lead and take action, first and foremost by removing conditions faced by former political prisoners under Article 401(1) [i] through legal means such as the signing of a presidential order,” it concluded.