President Win Myint had been in jail since February 2021, when the military overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in a coup, sparking nationwide protests and subsequent armed resistance movements.
State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials are behind bars.
Release all prisoners: Guterres
In response to the developments, the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres The need to find a solution to the crisis in Myanmar was highlighted.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, “The Secretary-General notes the announcement of the amnesty, which includes the release of prisoners, the commutation of sentences and the commutation of death sentences to life imprisonment, and the news of the release of President Win Myint.” a comment To the journalists.
“They underlined the need for meaningful efforts to ensure the prompt release of all arbitrarily detained persons, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to create conditions conducive to a credible political process.”
The Secretary-General encouraged continued dialogue between all relevant stakeholders and his Special Envoy, Julie Bishop, on how the United Nations, along with the regional bloc ASEAN and other partners, can “help support efforts towards a peaceful resolution in the interests of the people of Myanmar, as called for”. security council And the Sanhedrin.”
Rights chief ‘freed’
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomed Friday’s news.
Volker Turk tweeted that he was “relieved” by the long-pending release of President Win Myint and other prisoners, as well as the commutation of the death penalty.
“All those unjustly detained since the coup – including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi – need to be immediately and unconditionally released,” he said. “The continued violence against all people of Myanmar must end.”
Afghanistan: Thousands displaced in cross-border clashes with Pakistan
Humanitarians have continued to raise the alarm about growing needs in Afghanistan following cross-border hostilities with Pakistan that began in late February.
More than 94,000 people have been displaced in six provinces, according to United Nations Assistance Coordination Office OCHA. About 160,000 people are going hungry and about 90,000 have lost access to health services.
Fighting, including shelling, airstrikes and skirmishes, has damaged or destroyed homes, health facilities, schools and other civilian infrastructure.
Humanitarian operations have also been hampered, while the explosive threat remains, with hundreds of civilian casualties reported.
This week, one person died in Afghanistan and three in Pakistan in shelling.
Another school in Kunar province in northeastern Afghanistan was attacked and seriously damaged on Wednesday, but no casualties were reported, according to aid partners.
OCHA noted that although the main supply road between Kunar and two districts in neighboring Nuristan province reopened on Monday after being closed for two months, UN missions remain suspended due to security concerns.
The border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan are also largely closed.
The IAEA expert mission team visited the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant and its surrounding area. (file)
Ukraine: Repeated power loss at nuclear plant
The Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine lost all off-site power twice this week, raising concerns over nuclear safety as fighting continues, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).iaea) Said On Friday.
The outage occurred after the plant’s last remaining external power line was cut, forcing operators to rely on emergency diesel generators to maintain critical safety systems.
It marked 14th All off-site power at the plant has been lost since Russia launched a full-scale invasion more than four years ago.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said, “Repeated losses of external power once again highlight the vulnerability of the ZNPP amid ongoing conflict and persistent threats to nuclear security.”
The main 750-kV Dniprovska power line, which previously supplied the plant, has been offline since March 24, leaving the facility dependent on a single 330-kV backup line that has failed twice in recent days.
IAEA experts deployed to the plant are continuing to monitor the situation and await the results of an internal investigation into the incidents.
