A NEW DAWN? AN OPPORTUNITY TO END THE CYCLE OF POLITICAL ARRESTS AND IMPRISONMENT “There should be no political prisoners in a democratic country.” Aung San Suu Kyi, interview with Radio Free Asia, November 2015.25 On 8 November 2015, Myanmar held highly publicised general elections, which saw the opposition NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, secure a landslide victory. Myanmar’s new Parliament began its first session on 1 February 2016, and a new government is scheduled to assume power at the end of March 2016. Since the elections, various NLD officials have stated that the issue of political imprisonment will be a “top priority” for the incoming administration, and that under an NLD-led government, Myanmar will refrain from arresting individuals simply for the peaceful exercise of their rights. 26 Aung San Suu Kyi is said to have told diplomats at a briefing shortly after the election that the continued imprisonment of peaceful political activists would not be consistent with the country’s transition to democracy. 27 Although these commitments are to be welcomed, Amnesty International has serious concerns about how they will be translated into action. Under Myanmar’s flawed 2008 Constitution, the Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees the Myanmar Police Force, including the Special Branch; the general administration of justice; and the General Administration Department (GAD), remains under military control. It is unclear to what extent an NLD-led government will be able to end arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of peaceful activists and critics without authority over these key ministries and departments. One major opportunity for the incoming government, however, is the possibility of reforming or repealing the specific aspects of Myanmar’s legal framework that have been used to arrest and imprison peaceful activists. Bringing Myanmar’s legal framework in line with international human rights law would be an important step towards ensuring a lasting end to the cycle of political arrests and imprisonment in Myanmar. Radio Free Asia, “Interview: Aung San Suu Kyi says it is not finished yet,” 11 November 2015, available at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/myanmar-assk-11112015165922.html, accessed 28 January 2016. 26 Wa Lone, “Political prisoners will be our first priority, says NLD,” in The Myanmar Times, 12 November 2015 available at: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/17582-political-prisoners-will-be-our-first-priority-says-nld.html, accessed 6 January 2015; and Ye Mon, “NLD pledges no more political prisoners,” in The Myanmar Times, 6 January 2016, available at: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/18343-nld-pledges-no-more-political-prisoners.html, accessed 6 January 2016. 27 Amnesty International interviews with diplomats, December 2015. 25 NEW EXPRESSION MEETS OLD REPRESSION ENDING THE CYCLE OF POLITICAL ARRESTS AND IMPRISONMENT IN MYANMAR Amnesty International 15