2013 saw the continuing release of political prisoners from jails across Burma. Throughout the year, 380 political prisoners have been freed under conditional releases.
However this year will also be recognized as one that demonstrated ongoing problems within the democratic transition. Many activists who were released faced multiple charges under the same area of law over the year, regularly for carrying out peaceful political activities.
Re-arrests of activists have been extremely common over the last 12 months, and the increasing use of Section 18 of The Peaceful Assembly Law has been of particular detriment to political freedom in Burma. There are still ongoing concerns over the situation political prisoners find themselves in upon their release from prison.