"The Myanmar junta will release more than 6,000 prisoners to mark Independence Day, the state media reported on Sunday. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has granted amnesty to 6,134 imprisoned Myanmar nationals, the National Defence and Security Council said in a statement. The amnesty also includes 52 foreigners who will be released and deported from Myanmar. The junta also commuted the sentences of all prisoners by one-sixth, excluding those convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape, terrorism, corruption and arms- or drug-related offenses."
"Since its 2021 coup, the military junta has arrested thousands of protesters. It is unclear whether the released prisoners also include political prisoners who protested the junta takeover in 2021. More than 22,000 political detainees, including former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was ousted in the military takeover in 2021, are held in prisons, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners."
The junta granted amnesty to 6,134 Myanmar nationals and 52 foreigners, and commuted all prisoners' sentences by one-sixth while excluding those convicted of murder, rape, terrorism, corruption and arms- or drug-related offenses. Released foreigners will be deported. Release terms state that if freed prisoners are convicted again they must serve the remainder of original sentences in addition to any new punishment. The amnesty coincides with a monthlong, three-stage election process and the 78th independence anniversary. Mass prisoner releases occur commonly on holidays. More than 22,000 political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, remain held in prisons.
Read at www.dw.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]