Myanmar army rulers free 3,000 prisoners in holiday gesture

By GRANT PECK
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government has granted amnesty to more than 3,000 prisoners to mark the traditional lunar New Year holiday, but it was not immediately clear if those released included the thousands of political detainees. State-run television reported that the State Administration Council, the military-created ruling body, pardoned 3,113 prisoners, including 98 foreigners who will be deported. Mass prisoner releases are common on major holidays. Some 17,460 political detainees, including Myanmar’s former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, are believed to be in detention. Myanmar has been under military rule since 2021, when its army ousted Suu Kyi’s elected government. The takeover was met with massive nonviolent resistance, which has since become a widespread armed struggle.