Status: 04/17/2023 10:21 a.m
On the occasion of the Buddhist New Year, the military junta in Myanmar announced that it would pardon more than 3,000 detainees. It is unclear whether political prisoners will also benefit from the amnesty.
In Myanmar, the military junta has pardoned more than 3,000 prisoners, including about 100 foreigners, on the occasion of the traditional “Thingyan” New Year festival. This emerges from a statement published by the military government on channels of the short message service Telegram. Anyone who re-offends must serve the remainder of their sentence plus an additional sentence, it said. It is not known whether political prisoners will also be released.
A senior general said the amnesty was “to bring joy to people and address humanitarian concerns.” Many relatives were waiting in front of the well-known Insein prison in the largest city of Yangon (formerly: Rangoon).
“So far, about 50 prisoners have come out,” said a family member of several political prisoners at noon (local time) of the dpa news agency. He therefore hoped for the release of his daughter, who had been arrested for protesting against the junta.
About 17,400 people in custody
According to the prisoner aid organization AAPP, the military has detained more than 21,300 people in the past two years, and around 17,400 are still in detention.
The generals had already released around 5,700 prisoners on the occasion of the national holiday in mid-November. Among them were prominent foreigners such as Australian economics professor and former adviser to de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, Sean Turnell, and former British Ambassador to the country, Vicky Bowman.
Thousands dead since the coup
The military seized power in February 2021, overthrew the democratically elected government and arrested its de facto boss and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi was sentenced to a total of more than 30 years in prison for alleged misdemeanors.
Since then, the junta has ruled with an iron fist. According to the organization AAPP, at least 3,200 people have been killed so far. Arbitrary arrests and violence are frequent.
170 people died in air raid
Just last week, a military airstrike on a village in the Sagaing region caused horror around the world: According to eyewitnesses, more than 170 people were killed, including many children.
According to a spokesman for the junta, the military operation should help restore peace and stability in the region.