Myanmar’s ruling military council announced on Sunday that it will release more than 6,000 prisoners as part of an annual amnesty marking the country’s Independence Day, a move that comes amid ongoing conflict and political repression following the 2021 military coup.
In a statement, the National Defense and Security Council said junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had approved the release of 6,134 Myanmar nationals from prison. In a separate announcement, authorities said 52 foreign detainees would also be freed and deported.
The amnesty was described by the council as being granted on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, coinciding with the 78th anniversary of Myanmar’s independence from British colonial rule. Hundreds of relatives gathered outside Yangon’s Insein Prison on Sunday, holding signs bearing the names of detained family members as they awaited releases.
Since the February 2021 coup that ended Myanmar’s brief experiment with democratic rule, the military has arrested thousands of protesters, activists and political opponents, plunging the country into a prolonged civil conflict. Insein Prison, where many detainees are held, is widely known for allegations of serious human rights abuses.
The announcement comes as the military authorities proceed with a multi-phase election process launched last week, which is expected to continue for a month. Junta leaders have claimed the vote will lead the country back to democracy, a pledge rejected by human rights groups and Western diplomats, who have dismissed the process as a sham.
Preliminary official results show the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party winning around 90 per cent of declared seats in the lower house of parliament so far.
According to state media, the party secured 87 of the 96 seats announced, while six ethnic minority parties won the remaining nine. Results from six townships in the first phase have yet to be released, with further voting rounds scheduled for January 11 and January 25.
The popular National League for Democracy, led by former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was barred from participating despite its strong public support. Suu Kyi, now 80, has been imprisoned since the coup.
The military seized power after losing the 2020 general election by a wide margin to the National League for Democracy, claiming fraud without evidence, an allegation rejected by international observers. The junta has said voter turnout in the first phase of the current election exceeded 50 per cent, significantly lower than the roughly 70 per cent recorded in 2020.
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