UN slams Myanmar crackdown, urges prisoner release

8220;The Security Council strongly deplores the use of violence against peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar,8221; the statement said.

8220;The Security Council emphasizes the importance of the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees.8221;

September8217;s deadly crackdown by the junta on protesters led by Buddhist monks left 13 dead and thousands under arrest, and triggered an international outcry.

Myanmar8217;s state-run media has said that more than half of those arrested during the protests have been released, but there has been little word of at least 950 still in custody.

Today Amnesty International raised the alarm, reporting the junta had arrested a top democracy activist, while a monitoring group in Thailand has said one protester died after being tortured during interrogation.

8220;Amnesty International is gravely concerned about all those arrested because of the widespread use of torture or other ill-treatment of people in custody,8221; Catherine Baber, the rights group8217;s acting Asia Pacific director, said.

8220;The cloak of secrecy on the part of the Myanmar authorities deepens our concerns,8221; she said in an e-mail from London.