BBC : Burmese authorities release B

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Friday, August 7, 1998 Published at 14:29 GMT 15:29 UK 

World: Asia-Pacific

Burmese authorities release British student 

A British student sentenced to five years in a Burmese prison has been
released after serving only three months. 

James Mawdsley, who went to Burma to distribute pro-democracy leaflets, was
arrested on illegal immigration charges and given the maximum possible
sentence for such an offence. 

The British Foreign Office said no reason had been given for his early
release. 

Mr Mawdsley was deported from Burma last year after writing political
slogans on a wall in the capital, Rangoon. 



>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service