Human rights and Burmese opposition groups say more than 100 political prisoners have been released as part of a mass amnesty affecting thousands of inmates.

Among the most prominent of those freed Wednesday was a popular comedian named Zarganar , who angered the government by criticizing its response to a deadly cyclone in 2008. Rights groups said the freed prisoners included monks, former students and members of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

The exact number of political prisoners among more than 6,000 inmates chosen for release was unclear. Some reports ranged as high as 300, while a Thailand-based rights group released 134 names and VOA's Burmese service identified about 150.

In Rangoon, Aung San Suu Kyi said she welcomes the release of every individual.

She said she hopes more prisoners of conscience will be let go.

International human rights groups expressed disappointment that the majority of the country's more than 2,000 political prisoners appear to remain behind bars.

Amnesty International said the release cannot be considered as progress by the Burmese government unless the numbers increase substantially. Amnesty pointed out that 127 political prisoners were included in a mass amnesty in September 2009.

Among the first to be released Wednesday was the comedian Zarganar , whose stage name means “tweezers.” He was arrested in 2008 and sentenced to 59 years in prison for criticizing the former military junta's slow response to Cyclone Nargis.

He told VOA's Burmese service after his release that, in prison, he felt as if he had been captured by Somali pirates.

He said he remains saddened because of those political prisoners who remain in jail and called on Burmese politicians to back up their talk with real actions.