Political prisoners among 2,000 freed in Myanmar
STORY: More than 2,000 prisoners were freed by Myanmar’s military government on Wednesday (May 3), state media reported.
Video from state television MRTV showed dozens of people leaving prisons.
Among them, according to activists and media, a journalist and numerous political detainees.
Since overthrowing an elected government in 2021, Myanmar’s military has detained at least 17,000 opponents, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – the AAPP.
They say about 3,500 have been killed by security forces.
MRTV said the prisoners convicted of incitement were pardoned to mark a Buddhist holiday... and were warned against re-offending.
The AAPP say many of those released were already close to finishing their sentences.
The military says it is fighting "terrorists."
But many of the junta’s opponents were charged under a law prohibiting incitement – the definition of which has been expanded, and used against people urging civil servants to go on strike.
Among the most prominent political prisoners is ousted lead Aung San Suu Kyi, who is serving 33 years in prison for a multitude of offences she says were trumped up.
