(Yangon) Army is in power in Burma since the coup d’état 1is being February ordered the release of more than 23,000 prisoners on Friday, after arrests were made in recent days targeting relatives of ousted Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and election officials.
Collective pardons for inmates for clearing overcrowded facilities are common and usually taken on important dates in the Burmese calendar. This Friday is a public holiday in the country.
The State Administration Council […] Lifted the penalty of 23,314 prisoners held in prisons, detention centers and camps, ”it was announced in the columns of the Global New Light of Burma, using the official term to designate the Burmese military government.
Another listing states that 55 foreign prisoners will also be released.
Both orders were signed by the Chairman of the Military Council, Army Commander General Min Aung Hlaing.
The announcement did not give further details about the released prisoners.
Aung San Suu Kyi and other prominent political figures were arrested during operations at Dawn 1is being February by the army, which claims that last November’s elections were won by M.I She was marred by several scams by Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy (LND).
The Nobel Peace Prize winner has not appeared in public since then and is under house arrest, but according to NLD officials, the de facto former head of the Burmese government is “in good health.”
Since the coup, the new regime has arrested more than 200 people, according to a non-governmental organization that defends political prisoners.
They include Sean Tornell, an Australian citizen, and an economic advisor to the ousted government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The National League for Democracy – which was based in Yangon the victim of a night storm by men in uniforms this week – confirmed the arrest of election commission officials on Thursday.
