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STORY: GENEVA / QUINTANA
TRT: 1:29
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 15 MARCH 2010, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters in Geneva
2. Med shot, journalists at press conference
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tomas Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, United Nations Human Rights Council:
“These recommendations call for human rights and reform of national legislation in accordance to the international human rights law, progress release of prisoners of conscience, reform of the armed forces and reform of the judiciary for an independent and impartial judiciary.”
4. Cutaway, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tomas Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, United Nations Human Rights Council:
“I was very clear with the chief of justice and the attorney general regarding the 400 prisoners who were tried, who received harsh sentences that it is against international human rights law.”
6. Cutaway, journalist
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tomas Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, United Nations Human Rights Council:
“I see a change of attitude towards this mandate, this special rapporteur. The government started to listen to me so this is a process that is just beginning and I look forward to see this change of attitude towards other political parties in the country.”
8. Various shots, journalists
The United Nations (UN) human rights rapporteur for Myanmar called for reform of Myanmar’s national legislation, judiciary system and armed forces.
Tomas Ojea Quintana told journalists at a press conference in Geneva yesterday (15 March) that a pattern of gross and systematic human rights violations continued in the country, which is due to hold elections this year.
He said that if prisoners of conscience such as the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi were not released, the elections could not be considered credible. He added that he had raised the issue of prisoners in the country who had received harsh sentences that were against international human rights law.
The press conference follows Quintana’s third visit to Myanmar since he assumed his post as the special rapporteur for the country.
He said the government is changing its attitude towards him for the better.
Quintana has been the UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur for Myanmar since May 2008.
