Foreign Secretary David Miliband has urged Burma to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi after the country's ruling junta extended her detention for another year.
Ms Suu Kyi, 62, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, has been held without trial for more than 12 of the past 18 years. Her National League for Democracy party won a general election in 1990 but has never been allowed to take power.
Mr Miliband said he was "saddened, if not surprised" to learn that the Burmese government had again decided to extend her house arrest.
He said in a statement: "Along with some 2,000 other political prisoners in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi lost her freedom for simply expressing a desire to bring democracy to Burma.
"She has now spent more than 12 of the last 18 years in detention. That she will spend her 63rd birthday next month in total isolation is an indictment of the regime.
"While our immediate focus is on relieving the suffering caused by the recent cyclone, restoration of democracy in Burma is still vital for that country's long-term future.
"I urge the Burmese government to release Aung San Suu Kyi and allow her to play her rightful role in the process of genuine national reconciliation."
Burma was thrust back into the international spotlight when Cyclone Nargis struck on May 2, killing at least 78,000 people and leaving another 56,000 missing. Aid agencies and foreign governments have criticised the country's military junta for hampering the transportation of emergency supplies to the 2.4 million survivors.
A British-based protest group accused world leaders - in particular UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon - of failing to speak out about Ms Suu Kyi's detention in the run up to today's extension. Mark Farmaner, director of the Burma Campaign UK, said: "It is shameful that Ban Ki-Moon went to Burma and failed even to utter her name.
"He is playing into the regime's hands. The UN is crawling on its knees before the regime, afraid to speak the truth in case it affects aid access deals, which the regime is already breaking in any case."
Burma keeps Suu Kyi under guard
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