UN expert: Release Myanmar activist Aung San Suu Kyi

Geneva - The United Nations special expert for human rights in Myanmar called Thursday for the "unconditional release" of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Tomas Ojea Quintana, the special rapporteur, said the detention of Suu Kyi was unlawful, both according to international law and Myanmar's own domestic legislation
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The Nobel Peace Prize winner, 63, was charged earlier in the day with allowing an unauthorized US national to visit her Yangon home, where she has been under detention for the past six years.

The UN expert said the opposition leader could not be blamed for the intrusion into her home.

"Since her house is well guarded by security forces, the responsibility for preventing such intrusions, and alerting the authorities, lies with the security forces and not with Aung San Suu Kyi and her aides," Ojea Quintana said.

He also said that "all 2,156 prisoners of conscience currently detained by the authorities should be released before the 2010 elections.

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