Myanmar: UN human rights expert set to visit later this week

A United Nations expert is set to travel to Myanmar later this week for talks with government officials and civil society representatives about the country’s human rights situation.

Special Rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro is scheduled to visit the country from 17 to 28 October at the invitation of the Government. While in Yangon, he will hold meetings with government officials, judicial authorities and other members of the legal profession, as well as representatives of different political parties and social organizations.

Mr. Pinheiro is also slated to meet in the capital with the heads of diplomatic missions, representatives of the UN system and international non-governmental organizations.

In a recent report, the Special Rapporteur said that in order to secure the human rights of its citizens, Myanmar must achieve national reconciliation and the political transition to democracy. For that to be a credible development, the country must meet four fundamental conditions: the inclusion of all components of society in political dialogue, the release of all political prisoners, the lifting of restrictions on political parties and groups, and the holding of free elections.