Myanmar junta frees over 3,000 prisoners in Thingyan amnesty

By Admin 17 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
17 April 2023, Sittwe

Myanmar’s military regime released 3,015 prisoners in a mass amnesty to mark the Myanmar New Year (Thingyan) on April 17.

The 3,015 prisoners were released on the condition that if they commit a crime again, they will continue to serve the remaining punishment in addition to any additional punishment, according to Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The regime said 98 foreign prisoners were also released. No political prisoners behind bars in Arakan State were released in the military regime’s mass amnesty, according to observers.

“There are no political prisoners among those released by the regime,” said U Myat Tun, a former political prisoner. “Some prisoners released in the regime’s mass amnesty were convicted of possession of drugs and other crimes. We hoped those charged under Section 17(a) of the Unlawful Associations Act would be freed today. I think political prisoners should have been released during the cessation of hostilities.”

Seventeen prisoners were released from Sittwe Prison, but political prisoners were not among them. A total of 124 inmates of Buthidaung Prison were also among those released in the regime’s latest granting of a mass amnesty, according to initial reports. DMG continues to attempt to confirm numbers on those released from Arakan State’s remaining penitentiaries.

“We hoped he would be released in the regime’s latest amnesty today,” said Ma Nu Than Yin, an elder sister of Ko Khin Zaw, a resident of Maungdaw charged under Section 17(a) of the Unlawful Associations Act. “The next hearing has been rescheduled for April 20. We feel sad that he is not among those released in the regime’s mass amnesty.”

Family members also hoped Ko Zaw Win from Kyauktaw, who was arrested by the military in June 2022 and is being tried under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, would be released in the regime’s latest mass amnesty.

“We haven’t heard anything about him yet and hoped he would be released. He has been detained for about 10 months. I want him released as soon as possible,” said Daw Khin Hla Zan, the wife of Ko Zaw Win.

According to a DMG tally, the regime detained around 50 people in the latest period of fighting, charging many of them under the Unlawful Associations Act, or with incitement under Section 505 of the Penal Code. There have been several defendants who have seen their verdicts postponed once or more in the months since.

Amnesties tied to holidays are common in Myanmar, but critics of the ruling military regime have pointed out that thousands of political prisoners remain behind bars despite multiple amnesties granted since the junta seized power in February 2021.