On Feb. 24, parliament passed a bill to free 23 political

prisoners. Eight are members of far-right groups believed to have been

persecuted for their political beliefs. Five were anti-drug trafficking

activists, one a lawyer to a member of a traffic police watchdog, another is an

artist, and four were put in prison for allegedly setting a courthouse on fire.

Two others are a father and son who were convicted of killing a judge but whose

supporters say were innocent and framed. Another political prisoner is a

student who apparently stabbed three police officers in what activists say was

a fabricated case. Another was convicted of shooting a police major despite eye

witness reports to the contrary.