On Myanmar’s 77th Independence Day, the military government led by Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing granted a mass amnesty, releasing over 6,000 prisoners as part of a nationwide observance of the country’s independence from British colonial rule. This amnesty included 5,864 Myanmar nationals and 180 foreign nationals, many of whom were imprisoned for crimes such as gambling and fishing violations. Prisoners convicted under Myanmar’s harsh laws, including those associated with anti-government activities, were largely excluded from the mass release.
Among the freed were around 600 prisoners prosecuted under Section 505(A) of Myanmar’s penal code, which criminalizes the spreading of information that could incite unrest or spread false news charges often used against political dissenters. Notably, Khet Aung, a former chief minister in the Kachin state who was sentenced to 12 years for corruption, was among those released. Additionally, 144 prisoners had their life sentences commuted to 15 years, while all other prisoners saw their sentences reduced by one-sixth, though the terms did not apply to those charged under anti-terrorism and arms laws often used against military opponents.
The amnesty comes amidst the ongoing struggle that began with the military’s February 2021 coup, which overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Political detainees remain a significant portion of the prison population, with over 28,000 arrested on political charges since the coup. Myanmar’s resistance movement, once peaceful, has now escalated into a broader armed struggle against the junta.
Although the mass release was part of Myanmar’s annual independence celebration, there was no indication that Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains incarcerated, was included in the amnesty. The 79-year-old Nobel laureate is currently serving a 27-year sentence on a series of politically motivated charges. Her imprisonment is widely seen as part of the military’s effort to prevent her from returning to power and undermining its claims of legitimacy.
The prisoner release is another chapter in Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, as the military junta faces both internal resistance and international condemnation.
