Myanmar’s new president, Min Aung Hlaing, on Friday approved the release of 4,335 prisoners from jails across the country, reportedly including about 179 foreign nationals. Mass amnesties of this scale are commonly granted to coincide with the nation’s Independence Day in January and its New Year in April.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Yangon’s Insein Prison hoping to greet relatives among the freed. There has been no confirmation that former leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is among those released. The 80-year-old, who is serving a 27-year sentence on charges widely seen as politically motivated, was reportedly given a one-sixth reduction in her sentence on Friday. It is unclear whether she will be moved to house arrest or another location.
Former President Win Myint, who was detained alongside Aung San Suu Kyi after the February 1, 2021 military coup, is reported to be among those released.
The amnesty was approved by Min Aung Hlaing, the general who led the 2021 coup that ousted the civilian government and precipitated a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions. Hlaing was formally elected president by Myanmar’s parliament on April 3 following a junta-organized election in which the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) faced little opposition. At his inauguration he pledged stability and reconciliation.
Rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) says more than 30,000 people have been jailed on political charges since the coup. The releases come amid continuing fighting and widespread international concern over human rights and the political situation in Myanmar.
Edited by: Rana Taha