Southeast Asia - Amnesty in Myanmar: Junta wants to release 9600 prisoners
As part of a new mass amnesty, the military junta in Myanmar has announced the release of around 9600 prisoners, including 114 foreigners. According to a statement from the military junta, the country wanted to emphasize 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 outside the well-known Insein prison in the largest city of Yangon (formerly Rangoon) since the morning (local time). "More than 20 buses have already driven into the prison to bring out those who have been released," a family member of one of the detainees told the German Press Agency. The woman was hoping that her younger sister would be released. The first buses left the detention center 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 ousting of de facto head of government 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 offenses.
In recent months, the junta has released thousands of prisoners several times to mark important holidays. These included prominent foreigners such as the Australian economics professor and former advisor to Suu Kyi, Sean Turnell, and the former British ambassador to the country, Vicky Bowman.
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The mass amnesty declared by the military junta in Myanmar, which seeks to improve its international relations, includes the release of 114 foreign prisoners alongside the 9600 local inmates.
This latest amnesty is not the first time the junta has released prisoners in Southeast Asia; they have previously liberated thousands to commemorate significant holidays.
The military junta, which came to power following the military coup in February 2021, has been criticized globally for its hardline rule and detention of political figures like Aung San Suu Kyi.
The generals in power, who have been accused of human rights violations during their rule, have yet to include political prisoners in their amnesty plans.
The hope for a mass release of political detainees, including Suu Kyi, remains high among advocates for justice and human rights in Myanmar and abroad.
Despite the controversy surrounding the military junta, relatives of those imprisoned in Yangon waiting for a sign of release have shown their appreciation for every prisoner freed, with friends and family greeting each busful of released individuals outside the Insein prison.
Source: www.stern.de
