On November 11 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi, a leader of the pro-democracy movement, was released from house arrest.

Her long-term house arrest was arbitrary and unacceptable and the international community had continued to call for her release throughout her detention.

Human Rights Now (HRN), a Tokyo-based international human rights NGO, welcomes her release and awaits the resumption of her public activities.

HRN calls on the Myanmar military regime not to restrict her fundamental human rights and, in particular, ensure that her rights to freedom of expression and to carry out political activities are ensured.

However, more than 2,200 political prisoners, pro-democracy activists, among others, remain in prison, and the pro-democracy movement's freedom of, assembly, association, expression, and freedom to carry out political activities have been severely oppressed.

HRN strongly calls for the military regime to release these 2,200 political prisoners immediately, end their oppression of the pro-democracy movement without delay, and guarantee basic human rights, specifically, freedom of political activity and expression for all, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

On November 7 2010, while Aung San Suu Kyi remained in detention, the military regime conducted a general election under unfair election laws, in accordance with which, the National League for Democracy (NLD) was forced to disband and many pro-democracy actors were excluded from the electoral process.

Despite the fact that the NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, had an overwhelming victory in the 1990 election, the military regime rejected that result. It failed to transfer power to the NLD and has continued its rule to this day.

The recent election held by the military regime excluded Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, and as such it is process that lacks legitimacy and is at odds with democratization.

In light of Aung San Suu Kyi's release, the international community should, once again, call the Myanmar military regime's attention to the fact that this unfair election process does not deserve to be called a transition to civilian rule.   

The regime should undertake dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi for the purpose of realizing true democratization and respect for human rights and freedom. Further, the military regime must make genuine efforts to address the exclusion of pro-democratic actors in the recent election and the 2008 referendum.

HRN further requests the international community, including Japan, to support solutions which are based on dialogues with Aung San Suu Kyi, and to support the realization of democratization and human rights in Myanmar.