Leading Burmese activist Win Tin released

BURMA’S longest-serving political prisoner was among more than 9,000 inmates freed yesterday, days before the first anniversary of the junta’s deadly crackdown on anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks.

Win Tin, a journalist-turned-activist and aide to pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was held for 19 years. He was one of at least seven political prisoners released, Amnesty International said.

The rights group said there are an estimated 2,100 political prisoners in Burma, which has been under military rule for 46 years and is one of the world’s poorest nations.