The Myanmar government admits that 27 political prisoners remain locked up in the country’s notorious jails but this is because most of them have “committed other crimes.”

Following a mass amnesty for 3,073 prisoners on 7th October rights groups have complained that the government still holds dozens of political prisoners. The government puts the number at 30.

In an attempt to damp down the criticism ahead of the upcoming 25th ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw on 12th to 13thNovember the government has sought to clarify the situation through the State-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

“It was found that three of the prisoners have been released and the remaining 27 prisoners committed other crimes. Their sentences for political activities have been annulled under an order of the President’s Office dated 30th December 2013,” according to the newspaper.

Rights groups claimed the recent release of 3,000 prisoners was a public relations stunt ahead of the Nay Pyi Taw meeting of world leaders, including US President Barack Obama.

The Myanmar authorities have released prisoners in batches over the last couple of years as part of their political and economic reform process. However, there have been many cases of new arrests and jailing of protestors, activists and journalists under existing draconian laws.