Myanmar Releases Over 6,000 Prisoners in Independence Day Amnesty

The military government freed detainees, including 180 foreigners, while political prisoners and Aung San Suu Kyi remain incarcerated.

Myanmar's military junta announced the release of 5,864 domestic prisoners and 180 foreign detainees to mark the country's 77th Independence Day.
The amnesty included 600 individuals convicted under a law often used to silence dissent, but most political prisoners remain behind bars.
Former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, serving a 27-year sentence, was not included in the release, continuing her detention since the 2021 coup.
Life sentences for 144 prisoners were reduced to 15 years, and most other sentences were shortened by one-sixth, excluding those convicted under anti-terrorism and related laws.
Mass prisoner releases are customary for national holidays in Myanmar, but rights groups criticized the limited inclusion of political detainees in this amnesty.