South East Asia
Amnesty in Myanmar: Junta wants to release 9,600 prisoners
Family members and friends of prisoners stand outside Insein Prison in Yangon as a bus carrying freedmen leaves the premises. photo
© Thein Zaw/AP/dpa
Since the military coup almost three years ago, the generals have ruled Myanmar with an iron fist. The prisons are full. Prisoners are often released on the occasion of important holidays – including now.
As part of a new mass amnesty, the military junta has… Myanmar announced the release of around 9,600 prisoners, including 114 foreigners. According to a statement from the military junta, the country wanted 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 yet known whether political prisoners will also be released.
Hundreds of relatives have been waiting since morning (local time), especially in front of the well-known Insein Prison in the largest city of Yangon (formerly: Rangoon). “More than 20 buses have already driven into the prison to bring out those released,” a family member of one of the prisoners told the German Press Agency. The woman therefore hoped that her younger sister would be released. The first buses left the prison in the early afternoon. Outside, the people on board were greeted by their families and friends.
Since the military coup on February 1, 2021 and the ouster of de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, the generals have ruled with an iron fist. 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.