The military council granted amnesty to prisoners in prisons across the country on the first day of the Myanmar New Year, but only a handful of political prisoners were actually released, according to the persons close to the prisons.
On the morning of 17 April, Myanmar New Year Day, the military council granted pardons to a total of 4,893 prisoners. However, officials from the Political Prisoners Network-Myanmar (PPNM) reported that less than 10 percent of those released were political prisoners.
Ko Thike Tun Oo, a member of PPNM Steering Committee said: “In a situation where they (the military council) are unable to control on the ground, it may be very difficult for them to release those detained in prison. The junta is apprehensive about releasing political prisoners, fearing that they might retaliate against the military council once freed.”
According to the latest lists from the PPNM, political prisoner releases included two from Thayet Prison, two from Thayawaddy Prison, two from Tachilek, five from DikeU, 15 from Yamethin Prison, 11 from Magway Prison, three from Meiktila Prison, three from Hpa-An Prison, two from Paungde Prison, two from Dawei Prison, nine from Pyay Prison, five from Pakokku Prison, four from NyaungU Prison, and one each from Taungoo and Kale Prisons.
Additionally, only one political prisoner has been released from Pathein Prison, which is the only release noted in the entire Ayeyarwady Region. The confirmation of the lists of those released from other prisons is still ongoing.
U Thike Tun Oo commented, “When the prison amnesty was announced following the coup, tens of thousands of other criminal prisoners were released. Many individuals on death row had their sentences reduced by several days, while others serving 30-year sentences saw reductions of up to 10 years. The junta executed a mass release of prisoners, but currently, political prisoners are excluded from the list of those receiving pardons.”
Former political prisoners noted that keeping the large number of prisoners in prisons could be as a last exit for the military council, potentially resulting in fewer individuals being released during the amnesty.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck on 28 March also killed six inmates at Mandalay’s Obo Prison who were unable to escape.
Sent by NMG
