Yangon, Myanmar: Myanmar’s military rulers have pardoned or dropped charges against 8,665 individuals ahead of the country’s elections scheduled for December 28, according to state media reports. The move includes sentence reductions for 3,085 people and the dismissal of charges against 5,580 others still at large.
The amnesty is aimed at enabling prisoners to participate in the polls, which have been widely criticized by human rights groups as a sham election. Since the military coup in 2021, the country has been embroiled in conflict, with many political leaders arrested and the democratic process severely curtailed.
Military government spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said the measure was intended to allow all eligible voters to cast their ballots “freely and fairly.” However, it remains unclear how many of those covered are political prisoners or the exact timeline for the releases.
An official at Insein Prison in Yangon, a long-standing facility for political detainees, confirmed that releases would begin immediately but did not provide specific numbers or names. In previous amnesties, the process of freeing prisoners often took several days.
Outside Insein Prison, crowds gathered to welcome friends and relatives released under the amnesty. It remains uncertain whether high-profile prisoners, including 80-year-old former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, will be included. Suu Kyi, detained since February 2021, is serving a 27-year sentence.
Human rights groups have expressed skepticism, noting that the elections lack free media and most leaders of Suu Kyi’s dissolved National League for Democracy (NLD) remain behind bars. Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, described the announcement as “wonderful news for prisoners” but added that the military is likely using the amnesty for public relations purposes, creating a “fake narrative of reform.”
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Myanmar currently holds 22,708 political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, highlighting the ongoing repression ahead of the December elections.
