Leader grants amnesty to 8,500-plus prisoners
YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar President Win Myint has granted amnesty to more than 8,500 prisoners, reportedly including at least three dozen political prisoners.
The amnesty, announced Tuesday, coincided with Myanmar’s traditional New Year. It was granted to 8,490 Myanmar citizens and 51 foreigners. A statement from presidential spokesman Zaw Thay said those released included the aged, people in ill health and drug offenders. None was individually named.
It also said 36 of those freed had been listed as political prisoners by the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The releases were to take place at prisons nationwide. Relatives and friends of those held waited Tuesday outside the gates at Insein Prison, in the northern outskirts of Yangon, where it was expected that more than 300 prisoners, including eight political detainees, would be released.
As they came through the gate, the released prisoners looked excited, though many were reluctant to be interviewed.
One of those freed was Saw War Lay, a member of the Karen ethnic minority who was arrested in 2006 and is serving a life sentence for his connection with the Karen National Union ethnic rebel group.
“I really would like to say many thanks to the president. And I wish he will be successful in his peace process,” he said, referring to government efforts to reach an agreement with all the ethnic minorities to end decades of conflict. “But I am so sad for those prisoners who (are) still inside.”
Win Myint became president last month, after his predecessor, Htin Kyaw, stepped down because of illness.
The release of political prisoners was a priority of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party when it took over power from a promilitary government in March 2016. Suu Kyi is the country’s de facto leader, holding the specially created post of state counselor.