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23h ago

Myanmar Junta Grants Independence Day Amnesty to 6,134 Prisoners as Phased Election Proceeds

Rights groups question the gesture, with political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, still jailed.

Members of an honor guard leave after a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Election Commission officials count ballots at a polling station during Myanmar's general election in Yangon, Myanmar, December 28, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Myanmar's government officials salute at their national flag during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
A commander of an honor guard shouts during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

Overview

  • State media said 6,134 Myanmar nationals received pardons and 52 foreign prisoners are to be released and deported.
  • Authorities also announced sentence reductions of one-sixth for many inmates, excluding those convicted of serious crimes and certain security offenses.
  • No comprehensive list of those freed was published, and reporters saw no indication that Aung San Suu Kyi was among those released.
  • The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reports more than 22,000 people remain detained on political charges.
  • The amnesty coincides with a monthlong, three-stage vote that critics call a sham, as early state results show the pro-military USDP with a commanding lead.