Myanmar’s military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and has reduced other inmates’ sentences as part of a mass amnesty marking the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain on Saturday.
The release, which comes amid long-standing demands from rights groups and international governments to free political detainees, included only a small number of individuals jailed for opposing the military regime.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar’s military regime, granted pardons for 5,864 domestic prisoners and 180 foreign nationals, who will be deported, according to state-run MRTV.
Among those released were approximately 600 prisoners prosecuted under Section 505(A) of Myanmar’s penal code, a broad law used by the military to jail critics for spreading “false news” or creating public unrest.
Major general Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the junta, said many of the freed foreign prisoners included Thais arrested for gambling in the border town of Tachileik and Indonesians detained for fishing in Myanmar’s territorial waters.
