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Pastors Jailed For Over A Year In Myanmar Finally Released

   DailyWire.com

Two Kachin Christian pastors, who have been jailed for more than a year in a Myanmar prison following their criticism of airstrikes the military launched near civilian structures including churches, have been released.

Pastors Dumdaw Nawng Lat and Langjaw Gam Seng were among 8,500 prisoners granted amnesty by the newly-elected President U Win Myint, Morning Star News reports.

Mong Maung town Pastor Zau Ra celebrated their release. “We are happy that they were freed, but they spent one year and five months in prison,” he said. “It is not good for them, their family and even for the convention. They were arrested for being suspicious and sentenced into prison. It was a waste of time, and it was not fair.”

“It is important that respective authorities make sure that this wouldn’t be happening in the future, as we are in peace-building process,” he said, adding that the pastors are in good health.

“This would harm relationship and trust-building between the government and civilians.”

The Daily Wire previously reported that the two ministers were arrested on Christmas Eve in 2016 by army prosecutor Maj. Kyaw Zin Htun, who accused them of violating Unlawful Associations Act and the Export and Import Law.

The Human Rights Watch organization accused the government of retaliating against the men after they showed journalists buildings that had bombed in an army raid and immediately called for their release.

The U.S. Embassy in Yangon issued a statement expressing “concern” over the treatment of the ministers at the time the arrests were made.

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