Myanmar’s junta leader and newly appointed president, Min Aung Hlaing. (Wikimedia)
On April 17, Myanmar’s former junta leader and newly appointed president, Min Aung Hlaing, announced an amnesty to mark the country’s traditional New Year, in one of his first major decisions since formally assuming the presidency earlier this month. According to a statement issued by the officials, more than 4,300 prisoners are set to be released, alongside 179 foreign nationals. The authorities also declared that all existing death sentences would be commuted to life imprisonment, although the official communiqué did not identify the specific inmates affected.
In addition to the releases, the government confirmed that prison terms of less than 40 years would be reduced by one-sixth. The measure appears to apply to a wide range of detainees across the country, though the full list of beneficiaries has not been publicly disclosed.
The amnesty has also impacted several prominent political figures detained following the 2021 Myanmar military coup. Among those freed is former president Win Myint, who had been in custody since the military seized power. He had been granted a pardon along with a reduction of his remaining sentences under specific conditions.
Meanwhile, the country’s most high-profile political prisoner, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in detention and is currently serving a 27-year sentence widely criticised by rights groups as politically motivated. Her lawyer stated that her sentence would also be reduced by one-sixth under the latest measure. However, it remains unclear whether she will be permitted to serve the remainder of her term under house arrest.
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