YANGON, Dec 20: Myanmar’s military regime on Thursday freed four political prisoners belonging to democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), an official statement said.

The junta said four party members — Thaung Aye, Soe Myint, Kyaw Thaung and Tin Win — had been released from various prisons, bringing the number of releases for the year to 198.

“This afternoon four members of the NLD party were released from various correctional facilities altogether totalling 198,” the statement said. “They are all in good health and back together with their families.”

Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been under house arrest since Sept 2000, began secret talks aimed at “national reconciliation” with the military government more than a year ago.

Analysts say the talks have reached a near standstill.

Western countries, international activist groups and Myanmar’s democratic opposition have demanded the release of an estimated 1,500 political prisoners, of whom 800 are NLD members, still held in Myanmar’s jails.—AFP