Families in Myanmar welcomed relatives released from Insein Prison on Thursday as part of a mass amnesty announced by the country’s military rulers ahead of next month’s elections.
At least eight buses carrying freed prisoners arrived at the Yangon facility around 11:30 a.m., greeted by relatives and friends who had waited since early morning.
State-run MRTV reported that the military administration granted amnesty to over 3,000 prisoners jailed for opposing army rule and dropped charges against more than 5,500 others. The measure was intended to allow eligible voters to participate in the December 28 elections.
An Insein Prison official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the releases began Thursday but did not specify the exact number of prisoners. Previous amnesties in Myanmar have taken several days to complete.
There was no indication that former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been held in near-total isolation since the 2021 military takeover, would be among those released.
Among the freed were Kyi Toe, a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) central information committee, and freelance journalist Zaw Lin Htut, also known as Phoe Thar, both arrested in 2021. Kyi Toe said he remains committed to supporting Suu Kyi, whom NLD members respectfully call “Aunty.” He noted that many senior NLD figures remain behind bars.
Critics continue to argue that Myanmar’s upcoming election will neither be free nor fair, pointing to the lack of independent media and the detention of most NLD leaders.
MRTV reported that the National Defense and Security Council, a military-controlled body, approved amnesties for 3,085 prisoners convicted under the incitement law, which criminalizes spreading statements that could cause public unrest or fear. Conditional release was granted to 724 prisoners, who could serve the remainder of their sentence if they commit a new offense, while 5,580 people facing prosecution or in hiding had their incitement cases closed.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent monitoring group, 22,708 political detainees, including Suu Kyi, remain in detention. Suu Kyi, 80, is serving a 27-year sentence from convictions widely regarded by supporters as politically motivated.
The 2021 army takeover sparked massive nonviolent resistance, which has since evolved into a widespread armed struggle across the country.