Overview
- State media said Min Aung Hlaing pardoned 6,134 nationals, with 52 foreign inmates to be released and deported.
- Sentences for remaining prisoners were cut by one-sixth, excluding convictions for murder, rape, terrorism, corruption, or serious arms and drug offenses.
- Authorities have not confirmed releases of political detainees such as Aung San Suu Kyi, as rights monitors say more than 22,000 people remain jailed on political charges.
- Buses carried freed inmates from Yangon’s Insein Prison while relatives waited outside nationwide facilities for multi-day releases.
- The move comes during a month-long, three-stage election in which the pro-military USDP leads early results with about 90% of lower house seats announced so far.