The military government of Myanmar granted amnesty on Sunday to more than 6,100 prisoners and reduced the sentences of many other prisoners, on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the country's independence from the United Kingdom.
According to state television MRTV, the head of the junta, General Min Aung HlaingThe government has pardoned 6,134 prisoners. A separate statement specifies that 52 foreign detainees will also be released and then deported. However, the authorities have not published a detailed list of those affected.
It was not immediately clear whether this measure includes political prisoners, as thousands of opponents of the military regime have been jailed since the 2021 coup. According to the Political Prisoners Aid Association, more than 22,000 people were still being held for political reasons at the end of last week.
Sentence reductions do not apply to those convicted of serious crimes, such as murder or rape, nor to those prosecuted under certain security laws. Authorities have also warned that any released prisoner who breaks the law again will have to serve the remainder of their original sentence, in addition to any potential new convictions.
At Insein prison in Yangon, known for holding numerous political prisoners, relatives gathered at dawn hoping to see family members released. However, there was no sign of the former leader's release. Aung San Suu Kyioverthrown during the coup and sentenced to 27 years in prison following proceedings described as political by her supporters.
This amnesty comes as the junta pursues a month-long, three-phase electoral process, which has been strongly criticized by the opposition and the international community, who see it as an attempt to give an appearance of legitimacy to military power.
A former British colony since the late 19th century, Myanmar regained its independence on January 4, 1948. The anniversary was marked on Sunday with a flag-raising ceremony in the administrative capital, Naypyidaw.
