Prisoners of conscience Zarganar, Su Su Nway and Zaw Htet Ko Ko have been released in Myanmar?s latest mass prisoner amnesty, after sustained campaigning by human rights organisations including Amnesty International. 

Amnesty International?s membership across the world has been campaigning for the release of the three political prisoners by writing letters, signing petitions and lobbying governments.

?We are celebrating the freedom of people for whom we have campaigned for years,? said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International?s Asia-Pacific Director.  ?The now confirmed release of more than 200 political prisoners this month shows that all those letters and petitions can have a real impact in individual cases.?

?But the work is far from over while many more political prisoners remain behind bars.  This amnesty should inspire the international community to keep pressuring Myanmar to release all...

A prestigious global human rights award was presented in Geneva today to a Ugandan woman who has fearlessly defended the rights of her country?s threatened lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera is the winner of the 2011 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, awarded annually by 10 of the world?s leading human rights NGOs, including Amnesty International.

She is the founder and executive director of the LGBT rights organization Freedom and Roam Uganda.

?This award recognizes Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera?s tremendous courage in the face of discrimination and violence against LGBT people in Uganda,? said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International?s Deputy Africa Programme Director.

?Her passion to promote equality and her tireless work to end a despicable climate of fear is an inspiration to LGBT activists the world over...

Amnesty International has hailed the award of a prestigious human rights prize to a Syrian activist who was forced into hiding after defying the authorities' crackdown on dissent.

Razan Zaitouneh, 34, won the 2011 Anna Politkovskaya Award, which is given to a woman human rights defender standing up for victims in a conflict zone.

"Razan Zaitouneh?s bravery and commitment to human rights have been highlighted during the current crisis in Syria,? said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa of Amnesty International.

"We hope this award can shine a light on the brutal abuses taking place in Syria, particularly in China and Russia - countries who this week betrayed Syrians by blocking a UN resolution on the crisis."

Razan Zaitouneh, a lawyer and journalist, won the award for her...