The Federal Government’s Human Rights Commissioner, Markus Löning, arrived in Myanmar yesterday for a week-long visit.

Recent months have seen a number of remarkable political reforms in Myanmar, which have helped improve the human rights situation in the country. Mr Löning’s visit will focus on discussions of the most recent developments in talks with government representatives as well as meetings with the opposition and civil society. One of Mr Löning’s interlocutors will be the comedian Zarganar who was released from detention at the end of 2011 under an amnesty for political prisoners. Moreover, Markus Löning will travel to a province where a ceasefire has just been agreed. The Human Rights Commissioner first visited Myanmar in June 2011

On 1 April, Myanmar will hold parliamentary elections. Forty-eight out of a total of 440 seats will be contested. The Government of Myanmar has for the first time invited international observers at short notice, including from the EU. On this trip, Markus Löning will gain a first-hand impression of the preparation for, and conduct of, the elections. Among other things, he will visit the constituency of Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.