Junta’s latest mass amnesty includes some high-profile political prisoners

By DMG 17 Nov 2022

DMG Newsroom
17 November 2022, Sittwe

Myanmar’s military regime said it released 5,774 prisoners from prisons across Myanmar on Thursday to mark the 102nd anniversary of the country’s National Day.

Four foreigners including the Australian economist Sean Turnell, who served as an economic advisor to ousted State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; former British Ambassador to Myanmar Vicky Bowman; Japanese documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota; and US citizen U Kyaw Min Oo were also released and deported.

A total of 712 political prisoners including seven journalists were reportedly released. Others included veteran democracy activist Ko Mya Aye and artist U Htein Lin, who is the husband of Bowman. Comedian Sin Ma was also freed.

Former Tanintharyi Region Chief Minister Dr. Lei Lei Maw, who was imprisoned on corruption charges, was also released, according to sources close to the prison where she was held.

The outspoken Shwe Nya Wah Sayadaw, renowned writer Maung Thar Cho, National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Dr. Myo Nyunt, Union Election Commission member U Than Htay and State Counselor’s Office Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe of the deposed NLD government were also released, according to a junta statement.

Dozens of political prisoners were released as part of the amnesty, though thousands more detained since Myanmar’s February 2021 military coup remain behind bars.

The regime said more than 1,000 detainees would be released from Insein Prison in Yangon, though only some prisoners had been released as of noon on Thursday.

The junta said it had also dropped incitement charges against 11 artists.

The release of the four high-profile foreigners was intended to ease international scrutiny on the regime, political observers posited.

“The regime released them in the hope that international pressures would ease,” said a politician who asked for anonymity.

The regime has previously released more 11,000 prisoners; in May 2021, and in January, February and April of this year.