The military government in Myanmar says it will release 2,300 prisoners, including activists and journalists detained after the coup last February. The first group has since left prison.
According to the deputy information minister, these are prisoners who “participated in protests but not violence, committed no crimes and did not lead riots.” In total, more than 5,000 people are in a Myanmar cell for taking part in protests after the coup. More than 800 people were also killed by the regime during the protests.
720 inmates were released today from the infamous Insein Prison in Yangon. This is where almost all political prisoners end up in Myanmar. Many are imprisoned on vaguely worded charges such as disrupting public order or hindering the work of military personnel. It carries prison terms of two to three years.
Corona
Why the regime has now chosen to release the detainees has not been disclosed. It may have to do with the increasing number of corona infections in the country. In the overcrowded prisons, the virus can easily spread.
The fact that the regime wants to gain a foothold in the international community is probably also a factor. The coup and the brutal repression of dissidents that followed was condemned worldwide. Several countries imposed economic sanctions against Myanmar.
On June 18, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to calling for an arms embargo against Myanmar. That resolution is non-binding.
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