Myanmar has announced another mass amnesty. 9,600 prisoners are to be released on Independence Day. It remains to be seen whether this also applies to political cases. Hundreds of relatives were waiting in Yangon alone.
According to its own statement, the military junta in Myanmar wants to release 9,600 prisoners, including 114 foreigners. The country wants to underline its “friendly relations with other countries”. The occasion was the country’s Independence Day, reported the military-loyal broadcaster Myawaddy Television. It is not known whether political prisoners will also be released.
Many relatives were waiting in front of Insein Prison in the largest city, Yangon. “More than 20 buses have already driven into the prison to bring out those released,” a family member of one of the detainees told the dpa news agency. The woman therefore hoped that her younger sister would be released. “There are around 700 people waiting with me in front of the prison,” she explained.
Multiple releases on public holidays
Since the military coup on February 1, 2021 and the ouster of de facto head of government Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s generals have been ruling with violence. Suu Kyi is in prison and has been sentenced to a total of more than 30 years in prison for alleged crimes.
In recent months, the junta has released thousands of prisoners several times to mark important holidays. These included prominent foreigners such as Australian economics professor and former adviser to Suu Kyi, Sean Turnell, and former British ambassador to the country, Vicky Bowman.