Myanmar’s Military Government Releases Almost 5000 Prisoners

(MENAFN) On Thursday, Myanmar's military government freed almost 5,000 prisoners, including several foreign nationals, to mark the country’s traditional New Year, as reported by local media outlets.

The release began at Insein Prison, located in Yangon, where hundreds of relatives gathered outside to welcome the prisoners.

According to Eleven Myanmar, the government announced that 4,893 individuals would be freed from various prisons as part of the country's state-building efforts.

In addition, the military authorities released 13 foreign nationals from different detention facilities, though they did not disclose the individuals' nationalities. These foreign detainees are set to be deported from Myanmar.

Human rights organizations have reported that the military government has detained thousands of civilians since the February 2021 coup, which led to mass protests.

However, it remains uncertain whether political prisoners—many of whom were arrested for opposing the military regime—are among those released.

The coup, which removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s government from power, sparked widespread protests and led to ongoing armed resistance.

Earlier this year, in January, the junta had also freed nearly 6,000 prisoners, including 180 foreign nationals, to commemorate Myanmar's 77th anniversary of independence from Britain.

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